


Meow

by SentientSucculents



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Boy x boy, Choose Your Own Ratings, Drarry, F/M, Fanfiction, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Gay, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Sorry, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, M/M, Neko!Draco, Please Kill Me, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Porn With Plot, Ratings: R, Seme Harry, Smut, This fic gets better as my writing develops okay please don't be disheartened by the sheer cringe, Top!Harry, What Have I Done, What Was I Thinking?, i was twelve, male x male, neko, seme draco, top!draco, uke harry, veela!harry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2018-08-23 21:49:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 22,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8344096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SentientSucculents/pseuds/SentientSucculents
Summary: "Peeves! Get out!" Snape bellowed at the cackling poltergeist, who zoomed out of the classroom with gleeful whoops of shameless delight- leaving Severus to clean up the ingredients that had spilled. Little did he know that Peeves had done more than just throw a few jars and vials across the room...AKA when Harry screws up and gets a lapful of purring Draco for a while, only to find that that's not the only problem these precious boys are going to face. Oh no - that's not even the half of it.ALSO - Filler chapter prompts/requests are open to suggestion, so please comment/message me! I'm looking to find a new title for this story as well, so I'm open to ideas :)( ON HIATUS, SORRY XXX)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> While my ao3 account is only young, I started writing this story over a year ago so my writing style hadn't developed. So, the first five or six chapters aren't written too well... But not to worry! It begins to seem like a read-worthy fanfiction eventually. THIS IS NOT A PLAGIARISED STORY - I have posted some of Meow on my Wattpad account, SammActullyHatesYou - formerly BeccaChanMint, and this is in now way supposed to resemble another fanfiction, as I am aware that I am not the only person to ever imagine Draco Malfoy as a catboy :)

"- to page two hundred and thirty nine, where you will find the Anima potion." Professor Severus Snape drawled, looking around the classroom of confused faces -- except Hermione Granger's, of course.

"You are to join your table partner- and you're _not_ to move seats-" Snape glared at Seamus and Dean, who were about to get up and sit together, away from Crabbe and Goyle. They both sat back down glumly. Snape continued, unfazed- " One of you will make it, and the other will test it. I have the antidote here- only come to retrieve it five or so minutes after the potion has taken effect. Begin." The greasy-haired man sat himself down and the class began a quiet chatter to the people beside them.

Harry pointedly ignored his, who was trying to talk to him.

" Fine, Potter; you make it, I'll drink it." Draco huffed.

Now this kicked Harry's 'overprotective crush' side into action and he spun to look at blond Slytherin. "But I'm rubbish at Potions!" He spluttered.

"Aw, is ickle Hawwy-kins wowwied about me?" Malfoy teased, pushing his bottom lip out into a pout. Harry's face flushed red.

"Of course not!" He defended. "I'm worried about what your godfather would do to me if I messed up 'ickle Drackey's' facial features." He rolled his eyes, hiding his embarrassment.

Draco scoffed, hiding his own disappointment. "Oh, come off it, Potter. I'll talk you through it- but there'll be hell to pay if you do mess up my face."

Harry scowled to show his displeasure at the prospect when the Slytherin, who dumped the ingredients on the desk in front of the unhappy Gryffindor, wasn't looking.

"Boomslang skin ... taragon ... two Ashwinder eggs ... wormwood ... pinch of Erumpent Exploding powder ... " He mused over the ingredients and started the Potion, praying to whoever would listen that he was doing it right. A while later, on the twenty-third clockwise turn, the potion had turned a deep lilac colour whereas eveyone else's was a light emerald. Draco rolled his eyes at the obvious failure and drank a vial before Harry could stop him, leaving Snape to stride over at an alarming speed.

"You idiot!" Harry yelped at Draco, who shrugged carelessly and put the vial down as Snape stopped in front of their table and raised an eyebrow at the purple potion.

Draco gurgled and keeled over, clutching his stomach. Harry squeaked at the thunderous look on the professors face as he dropped to his knees in front of Malfoy --

Who proceeded to burst out laughing.

Snape and Harry glared at the boy, attracting the rest of the class' attention. "Y-you should've seen the l-look on your faces!" He choked, grinning madly.

The grin on his face slid off and was replaced by a look of shock and pain as he clutched his head. Harry turned away from boy in annoyance and started to pack away his things. A howl of pain erupted from the teenager on the floor and Harry spun around, confusion and shock wrtten on his face.

"What did you do?!" Snape bellowed and Harry looked horrified, shaking his head quickly. "N-n-nothing! I did what Malfoy told me to!"

Speaking of which, Malfoy, who was curled up on the floor sobbing, started to convulse horribly- and stopped all of a sudden, breathing hard and gasping.

The class was silent.

Professor Snape opened his mouth to start threatening Harry - mainly about what was going to happen to him- leapt back in surprise as Draco pounced on the Gryffindor, clutching desperately at his robes. The blond glared at his godfather and hissed. Harry stared at Malfoy, dumbfounded as he took in the two fuzzy, cream-coloured ears poking out from the Slytherin's hair, whilst a tail of the same colour wrapped around the Golden Boy's wrist.

"Malfoy- get- get off!" Harry gasped for breath. The boy merely let out a low rumble, nuzzling his face into the boy's neck and digging his lengthened, sharp fingernails deeper into Harry's robe sleeves. Snape stared, gobsmacked and really, really pissed.

Snape seemed to remember something and stood up quickly, spinning around. "Peeves!" He bellowed angrily. "Parkinson, go get the Bloody Baron. Class dismissed. " He hissed, seething. "Bulstrode, go get Professor Dumbledore. Tell him we will be in with Madam Pomfrey."

Pansy grinned; bargaining with the Baron was always fun. She and Millicent sprinted out of the classroom -- not that Millicent's lumbering movements could be classified as sprinting. The rest of the class, who had started laughing, quickly dispersed lest they be stuck under the angry wizard's wrath.

"Potter, you're coming with me." The Potions Master almost looked distraught, but spun around with a swoosh of his robes and began walking out.

"Uh, Professor-" Harry began helplessly, trying to get Malfoy off him. Snape's top lip curled as he looked at them down his hooked nose.

"He seems to l-like you," Snape struggled, " so try asking him or something. Just get him to the hospital wing." He walked out and waited by the door, refusing to look at them.

" Uh, M-mal- Draco?" He started. The blond looked at him imploringly. "W-we have to get to somewhere- could you please let go?"

Draco blinked. "Only if I can stay with you." He licked -- licked --Harry's cheek, who promptly flushed a bright red. "F-fine but we've got to go." The flustered boy urged.

Draco smiled happily and his ear twitched, trotting happily out of the room behind Harry, occasionally glaring at Snape.

 

 

"Harry!"

Two voices called out to him and he turned his head, looking for the source. Ron and Hermione raced towards him, stopping at the sight of Draco, who put his silky ears flat against his hair and bared his now-sharp teeth.

"Uh, Harry...?" Ron started, confused. Draco wrapped an arm around Harry's waist and pulled him close, eliciting a squeak from the flustered boy and looking warily at the ginger.

A mad grin reached Hermione's lips and she continued towards them. Draco narrowed his eyes as she came closer. "Mine." He warned, and Hermione nodded. "He's all yours, Draco."

Draco smiled and let her approach. "Keep up!" Snape barked and the cat-boy poked his tongue out at his godfather,the three of them walking a little faster.

"Oi!" Ron called, pushing through a stream of first-years coming out from a classroom.Draco meowed possessively and Hermione grabbed Ron's arm. "He's with me." She smiled and Draco still looked at him warily. They turned a corner and Hermione gestured to Draco.

"So, uh, what exactly happened?" She asked. Harry shrugged. "From Snape's mumbling, Peeves was messing with his ingredients cupboard just before class started and he didn't realise that he'd mixed up some of the vials. Of course we had to get the mixed up ones. " He scowled and Draco poked his cheek, pouting. "A-anyway, now Mal-" He broke off as Draco buried his face in his neck and whined quietly. "Harry, what did I tell you?"

"S-sorry, Draco- as I was saying, now Draco is half cat and we don't know how to fix it." Draco smiled happily at the use of his first name and they all reached the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey bustled over to them quickly and tried to stop a choked little snort as she took in the sight of Draco holding Harry close with a happy look on his face. He bared his teeth at the woman and she rolled her eyes.

"Oh, come on you two." She said dismissively. Draco's ears perked up and he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Miss Granger, Mr Weasley- you go away." Hermione sighed and they left, leaving Harry and Draco with the professors and the mediwitch.

"Harry, why are we here?" Harry cringed a little at the adorable confusion that flooded Draco's voice and he lead the the puzzled teenager over to the professors, who were standing by a bed in the far end of the hospital wing.

"Harry." Draco demanded and said boy sighed. "Draco, they just need to check up on you of sorts. You drank a weird potion and they need to make sure you're okay." Draco looked stricken and he clutched Harry's robes a little tighter. "Its okay, I wont let them hurt you." The dark-haired boy soothed, scratching Draco behind the ears experimentally. Said boy purred and pushed his head into the smaller boy's hand happily as they reached the professors.

Dumbledore had a knowing smile on his face and Snape was still scowling, while Professor McGonagall just looked amused. Madam Pomfrey tried to get Draco to sit on the bed- he wouldn't until Harry asked him to, and he ended up pulling Harry down with him. The blond tucked his face into Harry's neck (it seemed to be his favourite spot) while Pomfrey cast a few check-up spells on him.

"Harry." Dumbledore started. "I know you may not like this, but seeing as Draco is quite attached to you in this state, you're going to have to stay with him at all times. We don't yet know what it was mixed with, but it seems that the Erumpent Exploding powder was mixed with something else and we don 't know if there will be any other result." Draco looked ecstatic about getting to stay with Harry, who was looking a little confused.

Professor McGonagall spoke up. "I doubt the Gryffindors will to be too happy with Mr Malfoy staying in their common room, so the Room of Requirement is currently yours and and Draco's only. If need be, there is will be a spare room in the Gryffindor common room anyway. He'll have to sit with you during meals as well, as it seems he isn't going to be happy about being separated from you... I'll organise with the other professors about classes."

Draco let out a low, cute meow and started playing with Harry's hair dreamily, who sighed in resignation. Snape walked out.

"For now, you will both have to go sit at the Gryffindor table and eat your meals. Professor Snape will inform the Slytherins that they will , under no circumstances, tell Lucius Malfoy about this ... development. Goodbye, Harry." With that, he and McGonagall strode out.

Madam Pomfrey sighed. "There's not much we can do for you two at the moment- I'm sure they'll find a cure at some point, though, dear. Go on now, go to lunch." She shooed them out and Draco giggled. He giggled.

"Looks like you're stuck with me, Harry!"

 

 

Harry took a deep breath before walking into the sight of everyone in the Great Hall. Draco was happily trailing along behind him, his tail wrapped around his own waist.

"Harry? Why is everyone looking at us?" He asked, sidling closer to the boy as chatter died down in the Hall and everyone stared at them. Harry walked a little too fast to the Gryffindor table, where Ron and Hermione had- thankfully- saved seats for the two. Draco grinned at the Slytherins and plopped down next to Harry, who had buried his face in his hands. Ron huffed and shoved a plate of food forward for Harry.

"Oi, keep you and your boyfriend PG, will ya Harry?" George Weasley, who was sitting across from them, grinned and elbowed his twin. Harry's head shot up and he blushed a fiery red, making the ginger twins chortle. "I'm not- we're not- where'd you hear that?" Harry spluttered in embarrassment.

"Go ask the Ravenclaw second-years, Pansy Parkinson and the Hufflepuff thirdies." Fred grinned. Harry groaned and hid his face again. Draco looked at him, face full of concern.

"Harry, are you alright?" The cat-boy frowned. Harry smiled reassuringly. "I'm fine, Draco. Eat your lunch."

Luna Lovegood, who was sitting a few seats down from the twins, cooed gently."There are lots of Wrackspurts around you two, it's quite alarming."She was wearing her Spectrespec and Hermione frowned. The talk in the Great Hall rose back up and Draco grabbed a plate of food.

"What? No fish?" He frowned unhappily and Harry pointed at his plate, where a plateful of sashimi and fish had appeared. Draco grinned happily.

"Well at least someone's happy." Draco froze and flattened his ears, loking up slowly and glaring at Ginny Weasley. She glared right back and startled when Draco hissed loudly, sitting closer to Harry- who was oblivious to the exchange and was too busy eating his chicken. Draco preened, pleased with himself for scaring Weaslette. Ginny scowled and ate her sandwich ferociously.

"So, uh, Harry." Ron started, his mouth full of food. Draco flattened his ears in disgust at the sight and went back to delicately picking his salmon apart. Hermione rolled her eyes and spoke before he snorted something out of his nose.

"I take it he has to stay with you- you know, in case something happens, but is Malf- _Draco_ \- staying with us in the Gryffindor dorms or what?"

Harry shook his head. " For now, the Room of Requirement. Dunno what's gonna happen after that." A few of the Ravenclaw girls caught wind and a few loud squeals erupted from their table. Draco cringed and they died down. Harry raised an eyebrow at his friends, who all shrugged.

 _He's so close, too close_! Harry pressed his knees together nervously and Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Harry?" His head shot up and his face flushed red. "Huh?"

Draco stared at him, raising an eyebrow. Harry huffed and turned back to his food, not noticing Draco's smirk. His attitude hadn't _completely_ changed, then.

Draco used two pale, slender fingers and turned Harry's head, tilting it slightly as Draco sat taller than the slumped boy. Harry's mouth opened slightly in surprise - _he looks so innocent, god damn it, Harry! -_ and the blond leaned over him slightly. "Are you sure you're okay, Potter?"

Harry was speechless for a second and the Great Hall seemed to be holding its breath. "I-I'm fine, promise." He murmured. Draco gave him a cute smile and slowly moved his fingers away, making sure to drag his thumb over Harry's bottom lip- multiple groups of girls burst into giggles and Harry hid his scowl unhappily, Draco returning to his innocent cat persona. Harry glared at the happy Slytherin, hearing Ron make faint gagging noises in the background, and Hermione thwacking her boyfriend upside the head because of it.

Draco looked up and flinched under Harry's harsh gaze, cringing away slightly. Draco bit his lip and looked away, seeming to be ashamed. "S-sorry Harry ... I didn't mean- I wasn't - " he looked at the dark-haired boy helplessly and Harry softened a litte, amused by his spluttering. He ruffled Draco's hair and they smiled at each other before Harry caught himself and ripped his eyes away from the seemingly bipolar boy, mumbling profanity under his breath and listening to Draco giggle.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> unedited bc im shit

Letting out a frustrated growl under his breath, Harry dragged the happily-smiling blond by his wrist and towards his next class. Draco seemed entirely oblivious to the dark-haired boy's troubles, following behind and staring off down the halls vacantly- Harry was almost starting to miss his arrogant, offhanded personality.

 _On second thought, maybe not_ , Harry chuckled to himself and drew Draco's attention back to him.

"What's so funny?" He frowned and Harry shook his head with amusement.

"It's nothing- come on, I don't want to get stuck with the Ravenclaws again." Draco's ears flattened and they went a little faster, hearing the group of girls behind them. Last time the girls had caught up with them, they hadn't let them breath; cute this, adorable that, when did this happen, blah blah _blah_. Harry scowled at the thought- it was the one time he had been glad that Snape arrived and gave them his signature greasy-haired glare, which sent them scurrying off in all directions like confused mice.

Both of them had been in a bad mod for the rest of that day.

Draco had been in this state for almost four days, and the professors were no closer to finding anything terribly wrong- apart from the extra appendages, of course. The Room of Requirement had filled itself to the brim with cushions, floor beds and everything comfortable that it could come up with; it almost seemed amused by the mishap.

Draco had been falling asleep in class quite a lot- Hermione assured Harry that it was a natural thing to do, seeing as he'd taken most of a cat's characteristics. Thank Merlin's beard that he hadn't started licking himself clean yet- that was just strange.

The Ravenclaw's voices faded off and the two realized that they were safe. Slowing to a normal pace, Draco swung his arms lazily and yawned, his cat-like tongue curling slightly and running over the tip of one of his abnormally sharp teeth. "Harry," he whined, "I'm tired- can we skip?"

Harry snorted at the thought and Draco scowled unhappily at him. "It's never bothered _you_ before. You and your hero missions and all ... " He trailed off sulkily and coughed slightly. Harry ran a hand through his unruly hair and someone touched his shoulder, startling him.

"Oops, sorry Harry." Hermione said guiltily, drawing her hand back. Ron followed closely behind and grinned at Harry, and as always, ignoring Draco. "In a hurry, were you? You disappeared."

"Sorry- the Ravenclaws are starting to get a little too ... _into_ this whole situation." Harry grinned crookedly and Draco started to cough again. Harry sent a worried frown at him and Draco waved him away, coughing on his wrist and straightening up again, a few uncomfortable huffs every now and then.

Ron started to speak when Draco coughed again, his shoulders shaking. Ron glared at him for interrupting him, but his eyes widened when he realized that Draco wasn't doing it on purpose. Harry spun to look at the blond, who was coughing his lungs up as he fell to his knees, wheezing for breath. After a few pained gasps for breath the coughing started again and Draco, curled over his stomach, blood splattering the ground. Hermione shrieked and took off running with Ron, yelling for Madam Pomfrey.

The coughing subsided a little and the frantic Harry wiped the blood away from Draco's chin, watching in horror as Draco's grey eyes rolled back in his head and the cat-boy passed out.

 

 

 

 

" I think we've figured out the mixed ingredient." Snape's face was tinted pink from rushing to the infirmary. Draco was unconscious in one of the beds and Harry was pacing impatiently beside him.

Harry's face lit at up the professor's words and fell again the moment he saw the look on the man's face.

"What is it?" He asked suspiciously. Hermione, who had told Madam Pomfrey and stayed with Harry, looked nervous enough for her _and_ Draco.

Snape looked tired and let out a heavy breath. "Powdered Dragon's Blood."

Harry's face went blank and Hermione let out a small whimper- she had come to like this version of the notorious Malfoy.

Hermione could tell that Harry was confused and softly laid her hand over his. "Harry, fire practically runs through dragon's blood, right?" Harry nodded and she continued hesitantly. "Well, the other one was Erumpent Exploding Powder ... "

Horrid realization broke over Harry's face and he sank into a chair, looking wildly between Draco and Snape.

"Bloody hell." Ron murmured from his seat beside Hermione.

"Merlin's beard." Harry whispered and Snape spoke again, reaching into a robe pocket.

"Draco mustn't know of this development yet. You can't stop him from coughing- it'll help him get the potent mix out of his system. You will, however, have to make him drink this after every episode. I'll have to give you an extra after every fit and you have to be with him at all times." He handed Harry a small red vial.

Hermione spoke up upon seeing the vial. "Is that a Blood Replenishing Potion?" Snape nodded curtly and all eyes flew to the bed as Draco groaned and shifted, but didn't open his eyes. Harry slumped.

"What does this have to do with the personality switch and the, um, cat features?" He asked curiously and Snape scowled slightly more.

"Did you not read the Anima Potion Introduction?" Seeing Harry's hesitation, his face hardened. "Ten points from Gryffindor-" Harry gaped at him- " and the Anima Potion is a artificial form of Animagus. Seeing as Draco's potion was almost correct apart from the powdered dragons blood, he didn't make the full transformation. The personality is something along those vague lines as well. Madam Pomfrey will give him the potion when he wakes up; save that for another time." With that, he turned around and stalked off, minus the robe swooshing. Must be a Slytherin thing.

Hermione bit her lip. "Harry, dinner'll be starting soon, are you coming?"

"I've got to stay with him at all times, don't I?" Harry pointed out stubbornly. Hermione knew there was no way of convincing him, so she and Ron left, albeit regretfully.

 

 

A while later, as Harry was nodding off in his chair and slowly sliding off it, Draco cracked open his eyes.

A small yawn caused him to let out a meow that alerted Harry, making the dark-haired boy shoot upright and stare at the blond with wide, curious eyes. Draco scowled, his face red with embarrassment.

"No one needs to know of that." He said, his voice dangerously low as Harry let out an amused snort of laughter.

"Alright- are you okay?" Harry peered at him, the smirk sliding off his face. Draco nodded and, after a few more moments of staring, Harry seemed satisfied and leant backwards with a yawn of his own. "I've got to tell Madam Pomfrey, I'll be back in a moment." Draco watched Harry's retreating figure with interest as sat up, smoothing his hair down and playing with his new cat tail.

Harry soon came back with the older woman, who was walking too fast for Harry's relatively short legs and ad to almost jog to catch up with her. Draco smiled to himself at the obvious happiness on Harry's face. There seemed to be something troubling him, Draco knew by the look on his face. He'd been watching the Potter boy- not in a strange way, just observing him. He really was an interesting character.

Madam Pomfrey tipped some foul-tasting red liquid down his throat that made him splutter in disgust and then patted him on the head, which made him scowl and flattened is ears, pouting like an unhappy toddler. The thought made Harry grin."You should be okay to head to dinner- you're not _too_ late, but you'd better hurry." Pomfrey advised and sent the two scurrying off.

"The things that Pomfrey woman makes me drink is almost terrifying." Draco muttered, smacking his lips uncomfortably. Harry looked away and chuckled. "Just be glad you'd never had drink that SkeleGrow stuff- it tastes like someone put battery acid and Thestral crap in a cauldron and decided it would be helpful." Draco snorted with laughter and covered is mouth with his wrist, chortling to himself. Harry cracked a grin and they walked into the Great Hall which, thankfully, wasn't yet full.

Draco's eyes widened at the sight of four Ravenclaw sixth-years weaving their way through the table towards them, giggling and laughing to each other. "Draco! Over here!"

The two nervous boys whipped their heads sideways, seeing Pansy Parkinson standing on her seat at the Slytherin table, waving them over. Harry hesitated and Draco shrugged, grabbing his hand and tugging him towards the table.

The Ravenclaws stopped dead and the relieved boys gave twin sighs, sending grateful grins to Pansy, who just chuckled and patted the empty seat beside her and Blaise Zabini. Harry looked nervous for a moment, but it was interrupted when Pansy grabbed his wrist and forced him to sit down next to her. The moment her hand touched his skin, Draco pulled his lips back into a snarl and hissed loudly, ears pinned back to his skull and his tail flicking around angrily.

Blaise raised an eyebrow in surprise and, letting out a small squeak, Pansy let go of Harry hurriedly. Almost instantly, Draco returned to his passive self again. Pansy giggled madly.

"Aw, Drakey's getting all protective over his little Gryffindor!" Pansy teased lightly. Harry was bewildered- this was not what he expected from the Slytherins; though some of them didn't seem to happy about this arrangement.

Draco grumbled something about his dignity and pulled Harry closer wit his tail, hooking his ankle around the Gryffindor's and succeeding in making him flustered. Pansy cooed lightly and glanced at Blaise, who ( as usual) had his eyes trained on the Gryffindor table. This was happening more and more often- yet she couldn't quite pinpoint who exactly he was gazing at.

She could see, even from here, that Finnigan kid and Dean Thomas being all lovey-dovey across from her at the Gryffindor tables. There was so much gay in the Great Hall it was almost ridiculous, and apparently the Hall thought so too- the roof overhead was a gold-blue sunrise with a rainbow across one corner.

The rest of dinner went relatively well- apart from the confused glares from Ron and Hermione and the light-hearted taunts to Draco from Pansy and Blaise. Draco's loss of arrogance and new form of passiveness seemed to be a popular topic between the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, much to Pansy's amusement. Harry was wondering how on earth he got himself mixed up in this mess, why Draco was suddenly so attached to him-

And also, why Harry didn't mind it.


	3. Chapter 3

"Harry," Draco whined quietly, " I'm still tired."

"You just missed Transfiguration to sleep the entire time, you-" Harry stopped abruptly as Draco distracted himself with a rather loud fly. His elbow bumped Harry's and the familiarly odd shiver ran over his skin. It'd been happening more and more often around the blond; whenever they were to touch, Harry experienced the strangest feelings.

"Hiya, Harry!" Harry turned and startled, seeing Colin Creevey standing directly behind him. _Creepy Creevey._

"'Lo, Colin." Harry replied watching Draco jump, trying to catch the same fly. "Professor Dumbledore wants you and Malfoy in his office. He says it's important and you should go right away." Colin beamed, seemingly proud of himself for delivering the small message. Harry nodded, his attention leaving the adorable blond for a few moments. "Oh! And he said to tell you.he likes cockroach clusters. I don't know why." The small boy's brow furrowed.

"Thanks Colin. Draco, you're going to hurt yourself doing that." The cat-boy was attempting to climb the wall, up to where the fly sat. Draco mewed reproachfully sliding down the three inches he'd managed to climb and following quickly after the Gryffindor.

"Harry, where are we going?" He asked, his ears twitching and turning.

"You didn't hear a word of that did you?" At Draco's blank expression, Harry thought it was safe to assume he hadn't. "We're going to Dumbledore's office. He needs to speak to us."

Draco thought for a moment before he took on a face of stricken panic." He's not going to take you away from me, is he?" He gasped. Harry shook his head quickly. "Of course not. Come on."

* * *

 

 

"Cockroach Clusters." Harry muttered. The gargoyle grunted back at him, equally as pleased to see him as it jumped aside, opening the door.

"Ah! Come in, Harry, Draco." Draco followed behind Harry warily as Dumbledore smiled at them kindly from where he was standing at the window. Draco's ears twitched as the headmaster gestured for them to sit down, settling himself down into the large cushioned throne-like armchair behind his cluttered desk. "How is your little predicament going, my dear boys?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled mischievously. Harry shifted uncomfortably.

"Um ... As well as it could be, really, Professor." The Gryffindor replied carefully. Draco kept his mouth shut.

"And Draco?" Dumbledore turned his head and looked at the blond cat-boy over the rim of his glasses.

Draco smiled. "Perfectly, Professor." He giggled. "Couldn't be better!" Harry rolled his eyes. Dumbledore returned his attention to the dark-haired teenager.

"Harry, I've got some news I've been, regretfully, keeping from you for quite some time-"

"That seems to happen quite a bit, doesn't it?" Harry snapped, cutting the old man off. Draco caught his unease and nudged his shoulder, licking his nose with the tip of his tongue when Harry turned his head. The said boy blushed brightly and cleared his throat, looking anywhere but Draco or the Headmaster.

"As I was saying, this is quite important and may be affecting your and Draco's relationship. Have you been noticing any changes in, say, sense of touch or emotion?" The beard inquired. Harry frowned, obviously hesitant to say anything with Draco around. Dumbledore kept his kind smile in place and asked Draco to wait by the door. Harry glanced behind him and spoke softly, leaning forwards slightly.

"See, Professor Dumbledore ... I haven't really thought anything of it. But, er, whenever Draco's skin touches mine," Harry chewed his lip awkwardly, "I get this really weird shiver. I thought it was just something on the side of Draco's little problem, but ..." Harry studied the old teacher's eyes. "Obviously not."

Dumbledore's smile faltered just a little and he leaned back. "Well, Harry. I am reluctant to tell you, but you are half Veela from your father's side, and it seems that dear Mr Malfoy here is your soul partner, your other half ... Whichever label you choose." Harry gaped at him, speechless for almost a full minute.

"I'm sorry, _what_?"

Dumbledore started to repeat himself and Harry shook his head frantically. "No, I heard what you said, but what the hell does that mean and isn't there someway to stop it? I mean a potion or something? I can't be soul mates or whatever bat crap with _Malfoy_ , without this potion mishap he hates me!"

Dumbledore smiled again and chuckled. "Whatever you may believe, it's no help denying the facts. Are you going to hear the rest out or not?" Harry nodded reluctantly and Draco meowed impatiently.

"You need to be with Draco at all times-"

"Well I know that already-"

"Harry, for the love of Hogwarts, do shut up and listen for once."

Harry blinked. "Better. As I was saying, you will get incredibly ill if you fail to touch Draco for more than a week. Failure to do this will have quite the heavy consequences- there has been cases of death. Be careful, Harry." Dumbledore finished. Harry opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water, making incoherent sounds.

"Mr Potter, you're agitating Draco. Stop it." Professor McGonagall's voice startled Harry and he mumbled an apology.

"That is all for now, Harry. Professor McGonagall has informed Miss Granger about your newly-discovered background and has no doubt already emptied the library for information. If you've any questions, go to her. Goodbye, Harry, I've business to discuss." Harry stumbled a farewell to the two professors and walked out tipsily, Draco steadying him with a worried expression.

"Harry? Are you alright? Did he do something to you?" Draco stiffened and Harry smiled at him.

"No, no, I'm fine. Let's skip Transfiguration for today."

Those five words made Draco's day.

 

* * *

 

 

"Harry, can you please tell me what's wrong?" Draco straightened up from his comfortable position on Harry's chest where the two of them were lounging on a couch in the Room of Requirement. Harry sighed and rolled his eyes, closing them reluctantly. His head rested on his crossed arms under his unruly hair, his obviously muscled forearms firm under Draco's glances. This was not the first time Draco had asked and most certainly not the last. Draco sighed in reply and settled back into a sleeping position on Harry, despite being the taller of the two.

"Draco, I ... I don't properly have an understanding of it myself. If you really need to know, you'll have to go talk to Hermione. She's better at explaining stuff, not to mention she knows everything. I mean, that's not a bad thing, but ... You get the point." Harry managed, not certain that any of those sentences made sense. Draco seemed unsatisfied.

"More. I don't want to hear it from Hermione, I want to hear it from you." Harry caught a glimpse of the old Malfoy, drowning somewhere in the after effects of a messed up potion.

"Well- you know what a Veela is, yea?" Harry figured he had to start somewhere.

"Of course. Who doesn't? They're so pretty. Almost as pretty as you." Draco smiled cutely and Harry almost snorted in disgust. Boys don't usually appreciate being called pretty. He decided to let it go and continue nonetheless.

"Well - apparently, I am part Veela. Somewhere on my father's side or something like that. I don't know the details, though I probably should find out sometime. You wouldn't mind asking Hermione at some point for me, would you?"

"Getting off track, Harry." Draco stated dryly.

"Shush. Anyways, as I was saying, I'm part Veela, and my m-mate or whatever," he started to struggle over his words as a blush crept onto his cheeks," is in this castle." Draco's face turned stone cold and his eyes glowed fiercely, jealously evident in his expression.

"No! No one else can have you. Only me." Draco bit down slightly on Harry's cheek, causing the Gryffindor to yelp with shock. When Draco let go, Harry turned his head sideways and kissed the curve beside Draco's pretty, steel-grey eyes. Draco's pout eased a little.

"Come on. Let's go find Hermione." Harry shifted and Draco sat up, sitting back on his ankles and resting on Harry's thighs. Harry sat up and rest himself on his elbows, his hair a horrid shambles. Draco pursed his lips, raising his hand to the unruly mass and attempting to neaten it. Harry gently caught his wrist. "I've been trying that my entire life. Don't bother. It refuses to cooperate, even with the most copious amounts of hair gel." Speaking of hair gel, Harry raised an eyebrow at Draco's own blond mess. "Yours, however, could do with a good redo." Harry pointed Draco over to a mirror desk not far from where they were lazing, the desk covered in hair products and a comfortable-looking chair waiting for Draco's butt to grace it. Draco mewed and leaped up, dashing to the mirror. Harry shook his head and laughed. This could take a while.

* * *

 

"Hermione? Hermione!" Harry ducked towards the bushy-haired girl in order to avoid the librarian's angry glare for making a ruckus, Draco following closely behind.

"Oops, sorry Harry." She whispered, looking up from her book sheepishly. Harry shook his head.

"Hiya, 'Mione!" Draco beamed, sitting cross-legged beside her. He'd taken to calling her the same name that was usually reserved from Ron and Harry. Hermione smiled fondly and scratched just behind his ear. Draco let out a soft meow, rubbing his head against her hand and purring.

"So," Hermione started as she pulled her hand away," you two would never come here of your own will. What's the deal?"

Harry waved a vague hand at the cat-boy. "He's... Curious about my new-found ailment. You're better at explaining stuff. He only knows the basics by now." Harry sighed and rubbed the back of his hand over his eyes, fighting off sleep.

Hermione sent him a knowing, tight smile and patted the floor in front of her, gesturing for Draco to sit in front of her. "You better listen close."

"Ah, don't mention him and I being whatever we are, okay?" Harry hissed in her ear. She hid a giggle and nodded.

"Alright. No interruptions or I'll lose my pace.

"When someone of Veela meets a particular person, they start getting strange feelings and emotions whenever they're around that person. If odds end up in their favour, that person s their mate, or soul-bound partner if you must. To reject your mate means almost certain death for the other, it can be quite serious. If the Veela-born doesn't make any contact with their mate's skin for more than a week, they begin to fall sick, and there have been some cases of sever illness and death for that exact reason. Stick close to Harry, dear, won't you Draco?" Draco nodded quickly, his eyes wide with rapt attention as she continued on with the history of the Veela species and Harry slowly drifted into sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Christ on a bike, School is finally over and - and I have literally no excuses. I'm so sorry. I am the procrastination lord and I have been working up to updating so often and then... never getting around to it. Please forgive me! Because the older chapters of this fanfic are so damn terrible, I'm going to spam update to try and make up for it... but even then, with the 0% quality of my writing, it probably won't even do that. BUT! If you're a fan of Attack on Titan, I have some legitimate okay one-shots of Levi x Eren that I will be publishing separately not long after updating Meow - I really need a new title, feel free to suggest!- (shameless self promotion, I don't even want to look myself in the eye) that you should totally go read to give yourself a better opinion of me ( i was twelve when i started writing this, okay? It was my fifteenth birthday last week and my writing is significantly better)

Draco dragged the bewildered Gryffindor by the wrist towards the Room of Requirement and away from the library, his breath coming in short, frustrated huffs. Harry stumbled after the rushing blonde, utterly confused.

Draco slammed the door shut behind them and Harry blinked. "Draco, what the he- _huh_!"

Draco shoved him up against the wall, his lip curling slightly as his hot breath ghosted across Harry's face, making him flustered. "I'm not gonna lose you." Draco stated.

"No, of course no-"

Draco's ears flattened suddenly and he pressed himself flush against Harry. "But I just can't stand the thought of you being someone else's!" The rest of the conversation was swallowed hurriedly as Draco slammed his lips into Harry's, who was pinned against the wall and left with no means of escape. The poor wizard melted under Malfoy's touch and kissed back, slumping slightly. Draco tightened his grasp on Harry's waist and bit his lip, his anger showing clear through his desperate kiss.

Harry gasped against Draco as he felt the pale boy's hot flesh swipe against his bottom lip and invade his mouth, throwing his arms around the slightly taller Slytherin's neck and responding in a fluster. The kiss was deep and desperate, sending the two into a flurry of need as Draco rocked his body onto Harry's and elicited a tiny groan from the dark-haired wizard.

Neither of them stopped for air as Harry lost himself in Draco's hot touch, letting the cat-boy overpower him into submission as easily as a knife through melting butter. Harry's knees trembled with the sudden wave of heat and blood flooded to his nether regions. The two sank to their knees and clutched at each other's clothes before Draco lay Harry down, crouching over him and pinning him down by the wrists. Harry's shirt disappeared and the boy gasped as the cold air hit his skin, but Draco quickly up for it.

Draco moved from Harry's lips to his neck, biting and nibbling his way down and leaving harsh purple marks on his collarbone, moving further yet to Harry's muscled torso. Harry hid another groan but his breath hitched deceivingly as Draco encased his nipple between his lips, rolling and teasing it with pinching the other with his free hand. Harry made no move to get away or stop Draco in his path as he writhed beneath the pale boy, unused to the eroticism that was invading his mind like a Legilimens spell.

Draco satisfied himself by leaving a thick trail of love bites and hickies around Harry's chest, coming back up for another kiss as hi hand crept downwards, his arrogant self showing.

"D-Draco." Harry gasped, causing the cat-boy to halt his advances, his fingrs twitching above the hem of Harry's jeans.

"W-we have to s-stop, Draco, it's too much right now." Harry struggled between forced breaths. Draco slowly let him go and sat up, looking down at what he'd done with a new expression- one of horror, shock and guilt.

Harry sat up and watched as Draco buried his face in his hands, his sharp nails digging into his own skin. His voice was muffled as he spoke.

"Merlin, Harry, I'm so sorry! I- I- I don't what came over me, I just-" Harry pried the stricken Slytherin's hands away from his pale face and cupped his flushed cheeks.

"Draco, listen to me. It's okay. I'm okay. It's all fine." Harry hushed and Draco calmed down.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I really am. I didn't mean to do those things to you, I just got so _jealous_ and _upset_ -" the blonde broke off as his eyes swam with tears. Harry wiped the boy's face as soon as they split and pulled him into a hug.

"Draco, I'm being honest. It's all okay - I forgive you." Draco stilled in his arms and slowly sat up, smiling softly as Harry pressed a sweet little kiss to his forehead. "For now, maybe we should get some rest. We've both had a rather eventful day, don't you think?"

Draco's smile grew easier and he nodded, though guilt was still evident in his eyes. Harry hoped there weren't purple love bites in any obvious places as they both wandered, absent-minded, towards the beds.

That session was going to linger in Harry's dreams for a _long_ time.

 

* * *

 

 

"Draco, hell!" Harry slammed his hand on the convulsing boy's chest and tipped the Blood-Replenishing potion down his pale throat, as well as a calming draught.  Draco's throat throbbed with pain and his whimpers died down with his struggles, his breath coming in short, pained gasps as he stared wildly at the wide-eyed Gryffindor.

"Potter? What the fuck are you doing?" Draco spat, his mouth twisting into a malicious sneer as he scuttled rather gracefully away from the other wizard. Harry's eyes filled with shock and hurt.

Draco's arms gave out from under him and he dropped, his back arching off the floor as he gave a hoarse yell. His eyes rolled back in his head and he fell still again, chest heaving.

"H-Harry?" The blonde whimpered. Harry jolted with relief and knelt down beside the cat-boy, running a hand over the shaking boy's sweaty forehead and brushing his hair back.

"You're okay now, Draco, I promise." He soothed, gathering the Slytherin in his arms and carrying him to a pile of pillows and cushions in the corner of the Room of Requirement, which looked more alike to a child's play room rather than an important hidden room in a wizard's castle. 

Draco's fingers tentatively gripped the sleeve hem on Harry's slightly over sized sweater and pulled his guardian down beside him to rest on the cushions. Harry silently leaned on the wall and Draco lay his head to rest on Harry's upper thighs, looking up into the Gryffindor's worried green eyes. The mentally conflicted boy's shaking calmed a small amount, though he still trembled like the aftermath of a devastating earthquake. 

"Shh.. Sleep. You'll feel better. I'll stay here for you." Harry smiled softly and Draco's muscled relaxed, his fingers never loosening their grip on Harry's grey sweater sleeve.

Harry absent-mindedly ran his fingers through Draco's hair as he fell asleep. The dark-haired wizard pulled the key from around his neck and muttered an incantation, slipping the chain back under his shirt when it stopped glowing.

Not long after, Hermione creaked the door open and Harry cast a _Muffliato_ over Draco's sleeping figure. Hermione hurried over and sat next to harry, looking concerned.

"What happened? My key lit up. " 

"Some of him before the accident is showing through." Harry's voice was dull, quiet, subdued. This worried Hermione greatly and she picked up his hand and held it tight.

"Harry..." She started off, picking her words as carefully as she could. " I worry for you. We're not sure if Draco's going to remember any of this, if it even happened in his mind, and then he's going to return to his old self. You have to realize this." Harry did't look at her and she squeezed his hand once. 

"This is going to hurt you, Harry. You know it- you have to try and leave it be. I know your feelings for him-" his cheeks flushed red at her words and he still wouldn't meet her gaze" - and I know that Draco being Draco, he will refuse to reciprocate them when he's back in his normal state of mind. I'm really sorry Harry, but he's been like this for over a month and it's going to happen soon." 

A muscle jumped in Harry's jaw and he looked down at the sleeping Animagus. "I don't want it to happen, but I can't stop it. I can't stop feeling whatever this is, either. Hermione... What am I going to do? What _can_ I do?" 

"You'll find out that the deepest cut is the first time.." Hermione murmured and flushed under Harry's confused gaze. "It's a Muggle song. It goes as ' there will always be another time for us to fall in love, but the first time always cuts the deepest.' She mused and Harry's mind cleared.

"'Mione... He hates me." Harry flinched internally and he blinked rapidly. He felt like a child, heck, he _sounded_ like a child, but there was nothing else he could do at that moment in time.

"I know, Harry." After a moment's silence, she pressed a kiss to the top of his head and stood up. " I've got to get back to class. Call if you need anything else." She gave him a pitying glance and he turned his head. He hated feeling this vulnerable, getting pity and sadness from those around him for the simple reason of a failing emotion for another.

" Hermione... Could you send Neville and Luna, please?" He smiled gratefully as she nodded.

 As soon as the girl left, he felt a tear slip down his cheek after discarding the muffling spell he'd cast over Draco. He felt empty as he wiped his face with the back of his hand.

"Harry? What's wrong?" Draco murmured sleepily. He touched the tips of his fingers to Harry's cheek, and the simple gesture sent stabs of pain through his heart and he leaned his hand into Draco's palm, closing his eyes to the soft, pale skin. 

"Nothing, Draco. I'm just being stupid. Go back to sleep, you lazy kitten." Harry smiled slightly and sat upright again. Draco slowly let his hand fall and blinked blearily at him before closing his eyes again.

"Love you, Harry." The half-asleep cat-boy muttered before passing out again. Harry tensed up an tears prickled at the corners of his eyes again, so he clamped his hand over his mouth and let himself cry.

It took another ten minutes for him to calm down and try to clean himself up without waking the sleeping boy up and another five for Luna to arrive. She chose not to comment on his state and just sat  where Hermione had, and waited for him to speak.

He took a deep breath. "Luna... I don't know what to do."

Luna hummed in response. "Hermione did say you were confused. I'm here to help, you know. Just don't give me any of your Wrackspurts, you and Draco are completely infested. It's odd." She wrinkled her nose slightly, off with the fairies as usual. One could expect that from Luna Lovegood.

Harry shot her a helpless glare and she only smiled in response, her eyes flickering around the room as if following the movements of a fly. Harry fell into thought, staring down at Draco, and didn't hear Luna calling his name until her dainty hand shook his shoulder. His head shot up and he apologised quietly.

"It's fine." She hummed. She always seemed to be so... optimistic. About everything, in every situation. Harry was glad for it.

She patted his shoulder and let her hand dro

* * *

p, twisting a lock of her silvery-blond hair between her fingertips as she started to talk.

"You know, Harry... Explain to me what you're worried about?" She queried in her ever-so-soft voice.

"He's going to forget me, Luna. He's going to forget everything that's happened, and he'l go back to be the arrogant, self-centred, vain asshole that everyone knows and few love. I don't want that to happen... I know it's selfish, but still."

Luna regarded him closely. "You love him. Both sides of him." 

Harry scoffed. " Have for a long while, I s'pose." He muttered bitterly, biting the inside f his cheek.

" Really Harry? " Neville sounded shocked and grinned sheepishly from the door, looking as if he'd been there for a while. Luna smiled at him and he walked over, making himself comfortable on the floor next to Luna.

"Actually, that doesn't come as to much of a surprise. You're not very good at hiding stuff." Harry blushed furiously and Neville continued.

"I hope you don't mind me saying this, Harry, but even if Malfoy doesn't remember, you will." he hinted, a lopsided smile on his face.

"But how does that make a difference?" Harry didn't mean to sound rude, but frustration was getting to him. 

"We're wizards, aren't we? Memories can be shared first-hand. " Neville's smile grew and Harry slowly realized.

"Neville, I could kiss you." Harry grinned, his eyes sparkling. Draco hissed from his lap and sat up quickly, wrapping his arms around Harry's neck. "No you couldn't!" The blonde growled and nibbled his ear. Harry went pink and chuckled.

"I didn't mean that literally, kitten." Draco relaxed against him. Neville and Luna took that as their cue to leave. Luna's smile never left her face, wider than usual, and Harry pointedly ignored their glances.

Draco smiled at the thinking wizard and licked his nose, causing Harry to laugh.

Boy, would he miss this.

* * *

For almost two days, Harry had sat there. Hermione and Ron had long since stopped trying to get him up for class, and started bringing meals to him. Dumbledore blamed it on his Veela state of mind- he physically couldn't get up, couldn't leave Draco's side. The blonde still hadn't opened his eyes from the fit.

Staring absentmindedly into space, Harry used magic to start making images in the floating dust particles.

A dancing girl, a flying Hippogriff, his parents' faces, Hermione, Ron, Draco, smiling Draco, laughing Draco, sleeping Draco. Harry stopped and looked down, seeing the real sleeping Draco. He could see Draco's eyes moving quickly under his thin, purple-veined eyelids and stared intently, hoping for any other signs of consciousness.

"Harry?"

Harry looked up at the sound  of his name, seeing Hermione walking towards him. 

"Hiya 'Mione." He greeted glumly. 

Hermione dropped her hand lightly on his shoulder as she smiled softly. Harry did not smile back. 

"Please come to dinner tonight, Harry. You're starting to worry the other Gryffindors and then we'll have to explain the attachment." She explained softly.

"Maybe tomorrow night." The usual answer.

"Harry, you've said this for the last _week_! To-" Harry sat up rigidly and shushed her, looking back at Draco.

The blond's eyelids fluttered slightly, revealing the whites of his eyes. Hermione held her breath and Harry made no sound.

"Draco?" He breathed. Draco's eyes snapped open and winced against the light of the hospital wing. Harry yelped and threw himself forward, hugging him.

"What the fuck?" Draco rasped, struggling. "Potter?! Get off me!"

Harry bounced backwards as if Draco had electrocuted him, his mouth a thin line as he stared at the glaring Slytherin with wide eyes.

"Oh, Harry.." Hermione whispered as Harry started to back away.

"I knew it." Harry choked and fled.

Hermione threw one more saddened glance at the terribly confused Malfoy and shook her head.

"I'll get Madam Pomfrey." She muttered. Draco ignored her, staring at the ceiling with his brow furrowed.

Hermione knocked in the office door ad Madam Pomfrey opened it slightly.

"Draco's awake." Hermione shrugged in a small voice and Pomfrey put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll take care of him. You go find Mr Potter."

* * *

 

He couldn't breath. He couldn't see. The Room of Requirement kept switching objects, confused as to what he was in need of, but Harry wasn't. He was well aware of what he needed and he couldn't have it. He screamed himself hoarse, silently thankful that no one outside would hear him. The doors disappeared, stopping Hermione from finding him.

His heart felt like it was ripe to rip itself from its cage beneath his skin. The constant pain pulsing from it clouded his mind and he cursed his father's bloodline in a haze. It was so much more physically painful than he'd imagined, so much more wracking.

After a while, he stopped gasping like a fish out of water and his throat was hoarse and dry from his cries. His face was blotchy and red, his still-watery eyes falling shut and his hands falling still.

He would not wake until the next day.

* * *

 

Hermione sighed as she stopped trying to get Harry to eat more. The poor boy, locked inside his seemingly safe shell, didn't realise it would soon become his hell.

She'd managed to convince him to come down to breakfast with everybody else, eight days after Malfoy woke. Now, she was thinking it wasn't such a good idea - he did not talk, or eat. His eyes were dull, his cheeks hollow, and signs of sleeplessness were clear on his face. The other Gryffindors threw the three of them worried glances, and Ginny seemed to slow down her own appetite in an absent minded response to Harry's behaviour.

Hermione had spoken to Pansy and Blaise. The two of them agreed to talk to Draco, explain everything, but Draco refused to believe their words. He insisted that it was the potion - Potter was just who his attention landed on first. None of the three spoke of a word of this to Harry.

Ron didn't crack a joke through breakfast, simply kept his mouth shut as he took up coaxing Harry to eat. He was having as much luck as Hermione had.

Harry didn't make it all the way through breakfast before he stood up, his hands deep in his pockets and his shoulders hunched.

"I'll see you in Defence. Don't wait up for me if I'm late." Harry murmured. With that, he slouched out of the hall. All eyes but Draco's, Ron's and Hermione's were on his retreating figure.

"I'm going to talk to Dumbledore. Would you mind going to DADA without me?" Hermione asked quietly, rubbing her shut eyes. "I don't like the new Harry."

"I don't like it either. Do what you can, I'll meet you there. Unfortunately for us, we have that Umbridge woman. Ministry won't give up on running Hogwarts to the ground, either." Ron replied, unsure of whether he was talking to Hermione or himself.

"Yea, that'll be fun." George said glumly from across the table. "We had her yesterday. Miserable old hag. Didn't even utter a spell- told us to put our our wands away." The sneer on George's face was identical to Fred's, and it was unbecoming on both of them.

"This just gets better and better." Neville said crossly. Luna kept her mouth shut. There wasn't a smile even on her face.

 

 

 

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics are memories, underlined is thoughts, and normal is Draco's real self watching the memories and thinking yada yada. Bold is thoughts in the memories, Harry's thoughts.

"Malfoy."

Draco stopped and growled under his breath. She'd been trying to approach him all week; her attitude towards him was far softer than he deserved.

"What do you want, Granger?" Draco snapped tiredly. He'd stopped sleeping well after the incident in the hospital wing.

"I need to talk to you in private," the Gryffindor looked at the passers-by cautiously and walked past Draco," so meet me in the library at ten o'clock tonight."

Draco almost scoffed as she spoke, then saw the pleading, scared expression on her face.

"Please," she whispered, then disappeared into the crowd.

"Oh for heaven's sake." Draco growled, miffed that he'd given in so easily. Later that day, he found that Pansy and Blaise had spoken to Granger as well and promised to beat him into next Sunday if he didn't go.

* * *

 

It only took a simple Disillusionment charm to evade Filch before Draco crept into the library. He searched around for a few minutes before he found the girl, her head on the table.

He approached warily and she lifted her head, obvious bags under her eyes. She motioned for him to sit in front of her and he threw care to the wind. To hell with it; it was too late to object to anything now.

"I thought you weren't going to come." She murmured. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Parkinson and Blaise took care of that. What do you want?"

"I need you to... listen. Just listen and think about what I have to say because this is life and death. Can you do that for me?"

Draco studied her eyes and nodded. "May as well."

"Well.... It's about Harry." She started hesitantly. Draco didn't let his expression change, but a twinge in his gut made him flinch internally. "Continue."

"You've seen Harry around for the past week, yes? " Draco nodded. The strange, unhealthy-looking boy was brushing past him every chance he got.

"He's this way because of you."

Draco felt his jaw fall open before he gritted his teeth and rolled his eyes. Hermione balled her fists.

"Yea, keep rolling your eyes and maybe you'll find a brain back there! I _need_ you to hear me out or the saviour of the wizarding world _is going to die_."

That stunned Draco into attention.

"Better I'll explain.

You've heard of Veela, I assume? ... Good. Veela are possibly the most emotionally-based creatures to walk this earth and when you're human and Veela, it can be a terrible thing.

Veela have soul mates, partners for life, other halves, whatever, for life. They could spend their entire life unwittingly searching for this person because no relationships will work with another. Their genetics or or DNA decide who they are paired with before they are born and there is no changing it." Hermione rubbed her eyes.

"With this in mind, it's no wonder how they are if their mate rejects or leaves them. They fall ill, and if their mate does not touch them for over a month, it is most likely that they will die. Rarely they survive this, and if they do, they are more dead than alive. Empty shells- they do not speak, communicate in any way, do anything, until they waste away and die. Draco, this is what's happening to Harry, because- because y-your his mate, and you rejected him after touching his skin."

Draco stared at her, agape, as she began to cry. Her shoulders shook lightly and she wiped at her face desperately before Draco grew soft and muttered a charm to clear her tears. She sent him a look of embarrassed gratitude.

"When you were affected by that spell, you never left Harry's side and he yours. He grew so very attached to you, and it almost broke his mind when you returned to normal. If he weren't part Veela, he would not look the way he does right now and he would not die, but because he is, if you don't do something, he _will_ die."

"Why do I not remember any of what happened?" Draco murmured desperately. No matter how much he pretended to hate Potter, despite what his mind told him, he would not let him die. For himself or the wizarding world.

Hermione's hands shook as she reached behind her and pulled out a silver chain, with a vial of swirling silver liquid and a small key. She held it out and dropped it into his lap.

"In that vial, are all of Harry's memories of you over the past month. Look at them if you wish- they have not be altered, changed in any way, shape or form. They are Harry's pure thoughts. The key is a reminder of him."

Draco picked up the key an vial, the thin silver chain swaying from his hand. He looked at Hermione and saw her stand up.

"I have to get back to the Gryffindor common room. If you need to speak to me again, say _Sayen Minuma_ to the key and I will come to you. It was Harry's, because Harry and I both had one. I've still got mine. Use it at will and please, Draco... Don't just think of your pride when it comes to you to make a decision." With that, Hermione left.

Draco stared at the vial and got up, wobbling slightly. He made his way back to the common room, where Pansy and Blaise were waiting. They both got up and he put a hand up to stop them, his face white. Neither of them uttered a sound as he brushed past them and into his own room, knowing he would not be able to sleep tonight.

Instead, he opted for the memories.

* * *

_Draco clutching at his robes, hissing defensively at Snape as the professor started to insult Harry.._

_Draco tilting Harry's head up with two fingers and sitting taller than the slumped boy, Harry's mouth open slightly in surprise; Draco leaning over him slightly and murmuring, "Are you sure you're okay, Potter?"_

**Damn it, Draco**. _"I-I'm fine, promise." Harry murmurs. Draco smiles and slowly moved his fingers away, making sure to drag his thumb over Harry's bottom lip - giggling was heard through static voices in the background as Harry grumbled inside his head_ \- **blasted boy messing with my head again. Does he have no idea how hard it is for me already? I can't miss what I won't have..**

_Draco complaining of tire and wanting to skip, lightly insulting Harry about being the hero before coughing uncomfortably._

_Hermione approaching and startling Harry, Draco coughing again. **That's not normal- I hope he's okay**. Harry worrying for Draco as he huffs for breath._

Draco watched the scene unfold- he remembered none of this, and knowing what was going through Potter's head - it hurt more than he had expected.

 _Draco starts to cough violently and falls to his knees with a thud - after a struggle for breath, he coughs up blood and passes out_. Draco put a hand over his mouth as Harry's thoughts spin wildly with concern for the unconscious image.

_Snape explaining what went wrong, Harry's face going white... Refuses to leave until Draco wakes up. Laughing together as they walk to the Great Hall for dinner, Pansy and Blaise offering shelter from the Ravenclaw girls and teasing Draco's image of being protective of the Gryffindor... Harry blushing, Draco getting cosy..._

Draco was filled with emptiness as more of Harry's memories ran through his head. He so desperately wanted to comfort the boy at times of vulnerability, but could not reach for him.

_Dumbledore explaining Harry's Veela bloodline to him, Harry retorting about Draco hating him without the potion. Draco flinched horribly at his words and took a step back._

_Draco and Harry lazing on the couch, looking comfortable in their close proximities._ Draco suppressed a cringe at the position he was in on Harry's thighs. _Harry taking Draco to the library and talking to Hermione, Harry falling asleep. The memory- Draco seemingly enthralled by Hermione's words, yet barely taking his eyes off Harry's peacefully exhausted face..._

 _Coming back from the library, Draco growling about possessiveness.. Harry succumbing to Draco's advances_ \- The real Draco covered his eyes and flushed with rare embarrassment at what he did to Harry. He looked as he heard his own voice stricken with guilt and watched the rest of the scene unfold- Harry's tender touches and words easing his mind, both in memory and present time.

 _Draco having another fit and his old personality showing through._.. **He's going to forget me, he's going to forget me, he's going to hate me again...**

_Draco sleeping on Harry's lap as Hermione, Loony Lovegood and Longbottom talk to him..._

_"What happened? My key lit up. "_

_"Some of him from before the accident is showing through." Harry's voice is dull and soft_. Draco's stomach twinges with pain but cannot stop the it.

 _"Harry... I worry for you. We're not sure if Draco's going to remember any of this, if it even happened in his mind, and then he's going to return to his old self. You have to realize this." Harry does not look at her and Hermione squeezes his hand_. Draco cursed his sleeping image.

" _This is going to hurt you, Harry. You know it- you have to try and leave it be. I know your feelings for him-_ " Draco smirked at the blush on Harry's face" _\- and I know that Draco being Draco, he will refuse to reciprocate them when he's back in his normal state of mind. I'm really sorry Harry, but he's been like this for over a month and it's going to happen soon._ " Draco's smirk fell like a stone in water along with his heart.

 _Hermione leaves and Harry begins to cry, desperately wiping his face and cursing himself for being so weak_. Draco's heart clenched painfully.

_"Harry? What's wrong?" Draco murmurs, waking up. He touches the tips of his fingers to Harry's cheek, and the simple gesture sends stabs of pain through both his heart and Harry's as the raven leans his head into Draco's palm, closing his eyes._

_"Nothing, Draco. I'm just being stupid. Go back to sleep, you lazy kitten." Harry smiles slightly. Draco lets his hand fall and closes his eyes again._

_"Love you, Harry."_ Draco suspects he's half asleep as he says it _. Harry tenses up and clamps his hand over his mouth and lets himself cry.._ Draco felt a tear slip down his own cheek and swore loudly.

_Harry admitting to Neville that he loves Draco, no matter what side of his personality, and Neville suggests the memories. Draco getting protective over Harry.._

_Draco having another fit that he does not wake from. Harry does not eat, barely even sleeps as he waits for Draco to open his eyes. I_ t's painful for Harry, he does not think anymore, and it is painful for Draco to watch the boy deteriorate before his very eyes.

_Harry uses magic to start making images in the floating dust particles._

_A dancing girl, a flying Hippogriff, his parents' faces, Hermione, Ron, Draco, smiling Draco, laughing Draco, sleeping Draco. Harry stops and looks down_..

**What if he does not wake up? What if he doesn't remember any of this, and he still hates me?**

Each word strikes Draco like a blade.

_Hermione arrives, tries to get Harry to go to dinner. Harry refuses... Draco wakes up, and Harry flees as he realizes Draco had forgotten... He goes to the Room of Requirement..._

Draco did not want to keep watching, he hated seeing it.

_Harry couldn't breath. He couldn't see. He screams himself hoarse. No one comes for him._

His heart feels like it is about to rip itself from his flesh ad Draco feels every stab himself. The constant pain pulsing from it clouds Harry's mind and the memory fades in and out, becoming hazy and dazed. It was so much more physically painful than he'd thought, for both Harry and the watching Draco.

 _He stops after a while, whimpering. His face is blotchy and red, his still-watery eyes falling shut and his hands falling still.._.. Draco spun into another memory again, tears running down his own pale cheeks.

 _Harry goes to breakfast, but does not eat. His cheeks are hollow, his eyes dull, his mouth thin and unsmiling. His muscles are wasting away and he is becoming too thin_...

The image burns itself into Draco's mind.

_Eventually Harry leaves, hunched and silent._

**I cannot continue like this, I miss him, I miss him, I miss him. I can't keep doing this, it's all his fault for being so god damn perfect, it's all my fault for being so fucking weak and in love and attached, it's all my dad's fault for my bloodline- I should not be still alive in this state. I wish to die.**

Draco began to cry bitterly, silently, alone. He caused this.

The memories faded and Draco, dazed, tear-stained and choking fir breath, stumbled backwards and tripped, falling to the floor. He curled in a ball, clenching and loosening his fists. His nails dug into the skin of his hands hard enough to draw blood.

He got up and wobbled. " _Sayen- Sayen Minuma_." He managed, staring brokenly at the key. He made his almost drunken-like way out into the common room, where Blaise and Pansy no longer were. Thank Merlin- it would do no one good to see the notorious Malfoy in this state.

He collapsed to the floor outside the Slytherin quarters, slumped against the cold dungeon wall as he waited for Hermione to arrive. He swiped the tears from his face but more replaced them; he did not realize that he'd smeared the blood from his hands onto his face and did not feel it dry in the trails of the salty rivulets.

* * *

 

It did not take long for Hermione to arrive, and when she did, she did a double-take at the sight before her. Draco looked... Broken.

Hermione rushed to his side and it took a moment for him to acknowledge her. She muttered a cleaning spell and neither of them said a word as she fixed his hands. Afterwards, Hermione hesitated before drawing the blond into a hug. Any grudge she held for the bully shattered and vanished in that moment.

Draco drew a trembling breath. "I need... I need to s-see him. I need to talk to him. I need to... To f-fix this." He began to shake and stumble over his words until nothing made sense, so Hermione let him go.

"Shh, Draco, shh. I know. But right now, you need to sleep." She pulled a Sleeping Draught from her clutch and put it in his limp hand. "Take it when you get back inside and keep the key and vial. I will organise tomorrow for you to meet with Harry. You will fix this together." She soothed.

The two of them sat there until Draco stopped shaking. "Thank you." He blurted quietly, repeating himself twice more. Hermione shook her head and helped him up, even helping him back into the Slytherin common room and into his bed. She did not speak as she left for the Gryffindor quarters.

 

* * *

It was done. Draco was to meet Harry in the Room of Requirements- it was a popular place for the two nowadays. Draco had been fretting internally over it all morning.

"For Merlin's sake, Draco, just stuff your face with bacon." Blaise grumbled, shoving a fork and knife into Draco's clenched fist. Draco glared at him.

"You're drawing attention, Dray." Pansy said, taking a subtler route. Draco rolled his shoulders and thrust his fork into a piece of bacon. Pansy: one, Zabini: zero. Pansy smirked.

At the Gryffindor table, things weren't going any better- Harry hadn't shown up to breakfast, but Hermione couldn't tie it to the agreement, as Harry didn't know. She and Ron shared a look.

"Screw this," Draco muttered and dropped his cutlery, hunching his shoulders and retreating from the Great Hall. Neither Pansy nor Blaise followed suit.

He wasn't entirely sure where he was going to go, so he began to wander mindlessly through the halls, up and down staircases, through doors and down more hallways, all the time running points of what to say to Harry later that day. He hadn't the slightest beginning of an idea of how the whole affair would go.

A strange smell, almost like that of strawberries, reached him and he sniffed. Sniffing again, he furrowed his brow. What the hell is it?

The hall he had managed to find himself in was colder than most, so he must be somewhere near the dungeons, though he'd never seen them before. He could only guess it was opposite end of the castle to the Slytherin dormitories.

He continued to follow the smell, and when he found the source, he choked on air. He stumbled forwards towards Harry's crumpled figure, curled up on the stone floor and shivering. He was unconscious. Draco fell to his knees and pushed his confusion as to how he smelled  his way there, shaking Harry's shoulders, calling his name and failing to wake him up. Draco bit his lip to calm down. Harry's breathing was far too shallow.

He studied Harry's face and dread filled him. The boy's cheeks were a sickly white, as if he had no blood at all, his eyelids were stained with bright purple veins and his eyes were gaunt and sunken. His lips were cracked and dry, hanging open slightly and going blue.

Draco squeezed his eyes shut and tried to breath evenly, his fingers brushing Harry's collarbone. A spark of warmth erupted from his fingertips and his eyes widened.

He prayed to anyone who would listen that this would work and cupped Harry's cheeks in his hands, his eyes watering slightly. Warmth flooded through his own flesh and colour began to return to Harry's, the sickly colour fading and becoming a healthier shade. His lips healed, his cheeks flushed normally and his eyes flitted beneath his lids. Draco choked out a laugh as the dark-haired Gryffindor groaned breathily, his eyes opening.

Draco pulled Harry upright and pulled the weakened boy into a tight hug, freely letting tears run down his cheeks. Harry clutched at Draco's robes, his shivering stopping and his breathing becoming even.

Draco buried his face in the crook between Harry's neck and shoulder, whispering his name repeatedly. Draco's name left Harry's lips and Draco pulled away, his thumbs running softly over the skin of Harry's cheekbones affectionately. A shy smile breached Harry's lips and Draco smiled back, a rare feature that lit up the boy's entire demeanour.

Draco searched Harry's eyes. "I thought I'd lost you forever for a moment there." Draco managed quietly, still crying. Harry reached up slowly and brushed the salty rivulets away, smiling softly as Draco leaned into his touch and closed his eyes. Harry shook his head.

"You weren't the only one."

Draco stared at him with blue-grey eyes, red from crying, and kissed him.

They stayed there for a while, simply revelling in the other's touch, without saying a word. Draco brushed hair out of Harry's eyes.

"We should probably go." He murmured. Harry nodded and they stood up- well, Harry tried to, but his legs were still too weak. They wobbled and he began to fall, but Draco caught him and picked him easily. Too easily.

"As soon as we get you to your dormitory, I'm getting you food." He said determinedly. "There's nothing of you anymore."

It was true. Harry was naught but skin and bone - all his muscle had wasted away.

"Okay." Harry was just happy to be in Draco's arms, curled against the tall blond as they made their way out. Harry eventually fell back asleep, a small smile lighting his face.

Thankfully for Draco, it wasn't long until he ran into Hermione and Ron. It must have been a strange sight - Draco Malfoy carrying the sleeping Chosen One like a princess.

Hermione gaped at them and Draco's face tinged pink, but he could not keep the soft smile from his face.

"Don't ask," he said quietly, not wanting to wake Harry," can you just show me the Gryffindor dormitories so he can sleep?"

Hermione nodded and Ron snorted, hiding his grin. "Now that's a sight for sore eyes."

"Shut up, Weasel." The nickname was thrown in a light teasing way, and Ron smirked.

"Says the ferret."

"Stop it, you two. Harry's asleep," Hermione pointed out with a chuckle.

It didn't take them as long as expected to reach the Gryffindor common room and Draco rolled his eyes at the Fat Lady, who was agape at the sight of Harry clinging gently to Draco's robes as he slept like a babe in a Slytherin's arms.

"Mimbulus Mimbletonia." Hermione shook her head and the portrait swung open, leading the four of them inside.

Most of the chatter from the Gryffindors stopped at the sight of Draco, who didn't know where to look. A few whispers echoed in his ears until Ron grunted," oi, knock it off, you lot," and lead him to Harry's bed. Hermione stayed in the common room and Ron left after Harry was safely on his mattress.

Draco smiled at the sleeping figure, sitting cross-legged on the end of the bed with his blond head leaning on one of the bed-posts.

He was just dozing off when Harry grabbed his wrist, pulling him down beside him and curling up into Draco's warm chest. Draco smiled and wrapped his arms around the frail boy, holding him closer than he ever would have imagined he could.

Somehow, he wasn't nervous about talking to Harry anymore. As long as he could stay like this, he would be happy.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i still have no words. I've been proofreading and editing as I go in hopes of making it better but... it's not working. It's still shit. I apologize.

Harry wasn't sure where he was when he came to. He was warm, he felt safe, and he couldn't quite pick the strong cinnamon, almost spice-tinted scent. He breathed in slowly and a body beside him stirred, making him open his eyes to Draco's sleeping face. He smiled.

"Oi, you two. Get up before I call the twins." Ron grumbled from nearby. Harry went pink and shook Draco lightly.

"Draco? Draco!" Harry called sleepily and ever so slowly, Draco's grey-blue eyes cracked open. Harry watched his pupils dilate as the blond's sight focused on him, causing a moment of confusion then enlightenment. Draco smiled.

"Morning Harry." He grunted softly. Obviously not a morning person.

"Knock it off, you two. Come on already." Ron shook his head and walked out.

"I don't want to go to breakfast." Harry murmured, closing his eyes. His Veela connection could only do so much for getting his strength back. Draco agreed wholeheartedly, content to live off of Harry's scent for the rest of his life. Which, he remembered dully, wouldn't be very long if you tried to stay alive on a smell.

Damn.

Harry reached under the pillow and pulled out his wand, closing two of the three curtains around the four-post bed and flicking his wand lazily. Draco pulled the covers over his head and groaned.

"Hi, Dobby," he heard Harry greet with a yawn," can you do me a favour?"

A squeaky, easily recognisable voice replied. "Of course, Sir, Dobby will do anything for Harry Potter!"

Draco felt Harry shift uncomfortably beside him. "Could you please bring two sets of breakfast up here? I can't get down there myself."

Dobby agreed vigorously and Harry spoke up again. "Thanks, Dobby." A loud crack echoed through the dormitory and Harry pulled the cover away from Draco's face.

"Come on, lazy, you can't eat under there."

Draco kept his eyes downcast. "I... Wasn't the nicest person in the world to that house elf."

Harry rolled his eyes and reached for his glasses, putting them on. "I know. I'm the one that freed him."

"Ha! That was you?" Draco grinned and sat up on his elbow." My father was livid!" At the mention of his father, his face fell slightly. He kept smiling in the hopes of fooling Harry.

Harry wasn't that blind, but he chose to not question the downcast glint to Draco's silver-blue eyes as they waited for Dobby's return.

Another crack not long after alerted the two of Dobby's return, the little house elf wobbling under a tray of food. Harry hurriedly leaned forward and relieve him of his weight, which was when the wiry creature spotted Draco.

Draco blinked and looked anywhere but Dobby as his tennis-ball eyes widened impossibly further.

"M-M-Master Draco I did not expect you to be here-"

"I'm not your master, Dobby," Draco almost chuckled and Dobby's eyes watered slightly.

After an extremely awkward exchange Dobby Apparated away, leaving Harry and Draco to stare at each other in bemusement before Harry snorted abruptly.

"Shut up." Draco muttered, biting angrily into a piece of buttered toast. Harry shook his head and crunched through his own.

***

The two of them stared at the empty tray for a moment, both of them silent. Draco chewed the inside of his cheek nervously.

"God, Harry, I'm sorry." His voice cracked and he covered his face with his hands. He shifted his body ever so slightly away from Harry's touch, almost in emotional agony.

Harry did not respond, but rather wrapped his arms around Draco's middle and rested his forehead on Draco's broad shoulder. Draco drew a shuddering breath and Harry finally spoke.

"Draco.. Just, be quiet. I don't want to hear it as much as you don't want to admit it."

Draco slapped his thighs and clenched his fists, crumpling the material of his pants. "Harry, that's the problem! I hurt you, I hurt you in ways I could never have imagined, and it's all my fault. The world almost lost you; hell, I almost lost you. I basically almost _murdered_ you, Harry, and you sit here like it was nothing! What am I supposed to do?" Draco started to raise his voice and visibly crumpled, his frame hunching and eyes stinging fiercely. He would _not_ cry.

Harry drew away slightly and Draco's breath shuddered. He felt Harry's calloused fingers pull his hands away and trail down his cheek to grasp his chin, turning his pale, washed-out face towards his.

"Draco," he began in a quiet, apologetic voice," _I forgive you_."

Draco lost it.

Tears spilt and his bottom lip trembled, making him bite down as he struggled for breath. Harry just watched as every wall Draco ever built crumbled with one blow, shattering his resolve. Harry leaned forwards and pressed the lightest kiss on Draco's lips.

"I forgave you," he kissed the corner f Draco's mouth," a long," his jaw," long time ago because ," his cheekbone," I knew it would be difficult for you," his nose," and I love you. I still love you." He put one last kiss on Draco's forehead and Draco collapsed against him, crying silently and struggling for coherency against Harry's chest. Harry simply held him, his chin resting lightly on Draco's head.

It took a little while of Harry rocking the blond back and forth like a small child after a nightmare and whispering sweet nothings into his ear for the adonis to calm himself. He looked up and wrapped his hands around Harry's shoulders. Harry smiled slightly and Draco kissed him, pouring everything he couldn't put i to words into the simple gesture.

_I love you._

_I love you._

_I'm so damn sorry._

_I love you._

Harry smiled against his lips and kissed back, not caring for the stray tears still rolling down Draco's cheeks.

_Still a million times better than Cho. I love you too._

* * *

Draco sighed and dragged himself out of his warm bed, his bare legs covered in goosebumps as the cold air bit at them. Dungeons weren't exactly hospitable at times.

He clumsily pulled a thick hooded cloak from his wardrobe and stumbled into a pair of thick tracksuits- one of the few Muggle-made items he was willing to own. He draped the cloak over his shoulders and buttoned it around his neck before creeping out of his dormitory.

It was late at night, so as he expected, the common room was empty. He straightened up and strode out into the dungeon halls.

He turned away from the direction to the Great Hall and pulled out his wand.

" _Lumos_." He whispered. A pale blue-white light sparked at the tip of his wand and he felt along the walls until he came across the tiny gargoyle statue he'd been looking for. He twisted it sideways and quickly cast a _Muffliato_ , lest the grating of brick on brick wake anyone - or anything - up as the door slid open.

He wrapped the cloak closer around him as the air grew colder in the unused passage, letting his hood fall as he headed up the long flight of stairs. It wasn't long until he hit open air at the end of the passage.

He panted slightly and straightened his legs a few times before continuing to wander the school grounds.

 

 

" _Next year's Christmas Holidays, you are to receive the Dark Mark, and become a true follower of our Dark Lord. Do not fail me, Draco."_

 _Draco nodded firmly, but he was shaking inside. He was terrified, but he'd seen disappointment harden his father's_ _eyes too many times to refuse, and felt the wrath on his flesh too many times to hesitate._

 

 

Draco shook the memory from his head, regretting everything he'd said that day. Everything he'd done.

Everything he had agreed to.

His thoughts wrapped themselves around his mind and he begged them to leave, his expression on the outside cold and emotionless. Another trait he had learned from Lucius.

A rustle brought him to his senses and he gasped, spinning in a circle and illuminating his wand. Where the hell was he?

He squinted into the darkness, merely realising he was deep into the Forbidden Forest. He didn't think he'd even gone this far with Hagrid and Harry in his first year, chasing down that unicorn. Draco shuddered.

Speaking of first year... Draco's mind spun into thought again, Harry's eleven-year-old face swimming in his sight.

//

 _"I think I can decide that for myself, thanks."_ Harry hard, cold voice echoed in his ears and he remembered the biting, bitter disappointment he'd felt when Harry rejected his friendship. _I wonder_ , Draco thought, _what would have become of us if he had accepted it_? He still remembered how cold his palm  felt where Harry hadn't touched it.

"Hmm... A Malfoy?" A voice whispered around him. He spun around again, his wand held at the ready, as he searched for the speaker.

"Who's there?" He called out strongly, forcing his voice not to shake. A chuckle rumbled in his ear.

A figure stepped out from behind a tree and Draco stepped back.

"My, my, what is such a young Draco wandering out here alone?" The dark-haired, admittedly handsome man raised an eyebrow, a light smirk ghosting his lips. Draco did not reply and simply adjusted his grip on his wand.

Another chuckle slipped out and the man- the name _Circosta_ slid into his thoughts - pushed his wand to the side, leaning forwards to look Draco in the eye. "What troubles you, my fiendishly delicious friend?"

Draco swallowed and Lorcan followed the movement, his eyes straying to Draco's pale flesh. "None of your business! I- get off me!" Draco snarled indignantly as Lorcan pressed him against an old oak tree.

"I think not." Something sharp nibbled his ear ad Draco came to a sharp realisation. _Vampire_.

Draco's shriek was long and full of agony as Circosta's fangs tore into the flesh of his neck, pain ripping through his mind. He feebly tried to push the other away, his strength merely that of a toddler's against such a powerful being. His eyes swam with tears.

**

Harry bolted upright out of bed, his skin ablaze. Draco.

Without troubling himself with something as trivial as staying quiet, he leaped out of bed and tugged a lair of jeans on, not bothering with a shirt as he bolted from the dormitory. Ron's yelp echoed him.

He tore from the common room with unreasonable speed, making his way towards McGonagall. He burst into her office and ignored the fact that she was in naught but a nightgown.

"Potter!" She cried. "What on earth are you doing?"

"Draco's in danger, we need to go find him!" Harry blurted, his body begging to run.

McGonagall looked dumbfounded and caught sight of Harry's eyes, glowing golden and fiery. This was no premonition.

Harry's wail rang through her office and he clutched his head another of Draco's screams shattered his eardrums. He didn't wait for her reply as he sprinted off again.

Tearing down staircases and halls, it took him two minutes flat to burst onto the school grounds. _I'll find you_.

***

Draco's legs shook as he felt his energy start to drain, his voice scratchy and Circosta still eagerly chomping on his neck.

Hooves thundered in his ears and Circosta disappeared with a shriek of indignant pain, ending in a choked gurgle as Firenze's hoof came crashing down on his throat, shattering his spine and killing him.

Draco faintly heard the centaur curse and his feet left the ground, Firenze picking him up as if he were no more than a small child. His neck throbbed wildly and his heart slowed. Black invaded his vision and he scrabbled for something to hold onto, his fingernails raking down Firenze's bare chest as he struggled to breath properly.

Firenze snarled slightly and thundered towards Hagrid's hut, hoping against hope that he could get the boy back in time.

* * *

 

"Hagrid!" Firenze bellowed, "Hagrid!"  
He was beginning to lose his nerve as the blond in his arms closed his eyes, blood pouring from between his calloused fingers where he had pressed down in a hope to slow the loss of blood.

He burst from the forest and bashed on the back door of Hagrid's hut with his front hoof, cursing when Hagrid didn't answer- he was still up at the castle.

He galloped towards Hogwarts, pushing himself to get to the Great Hall. He exploded through the doors and made as much commotion as he could. There was something special about this boy, and Firenze wasn't about to let him die.

And Harry wasn't either. Harry slid off Firenze's back and took Draco from him as Hagrid lumbered towards them, his face set in an expression of panic.

"Thank you Firenze." Harry said solemnly. The centaur bowed and departed quietly.

"Hagrid, get him to the hospital ward!" Harry pleaded, his strength beginning to run out. Hagrid quickly took Draco from him and Harry swung on his Invisibility cloak, which had been over his arm since he'd left the dormitory.

The two of them rushed to the ward, McGonagall not far behind in her nightdress. She didn't know where to look.

"Hagrid!" Harry hissed urgently. "Umbridge alert! She can't see Draco." Hagrid looked around and laid the unconscious boy in Harry's arms, shoving them both in a wardrobe conveniently located next to them. McGonagall backtracked around a corner.

"Rubeus Hagrid? What on earth are you doing out here this late?" Umbridge was fully dressed, her toad-like face twisted into a gruesome smile and her voice unpleasantly high-pitched.

Hagrid started to sweat. "I, er, I could ask you th' same question, Dolores."

Dolores kept smiling. "I've said, you will refer to me as Professor Umbridge and nothing else. Now, tell me; what are you doing?"

"Lookin' for the last of the Clysles, see, they're got loose in the castle." He grinned proudly and Dolores raised an eyebrow.

"Is that so?"

"Er, yep!"

"Well, go on, go catch them!"

Umbridge hurried away in a huff and Harry burst from the closet.

He didn't bother with running for long. Out of the closet along with his body exploded two massive black wings.

He didn't think, but rather his instincts controlled his body. He flew close to the floor, parallel to it, moving faster than any broom even with Draco's weight holding him back. He left the two teachers far behind.

"Madam Pomfrey!" He screeched almost inhumanly as he barrel-rolled through the hospital wing doors, startling her to life in her office.

Harry landed on his feet and leaped towards the nearest bed, softly laying Draco's paler than usual body. Pomfrey hustled out if the office, paling herself as she took in the sight.

"Good Merlin, what happened?"

"He was in the forest and a vampire attacked him." Blurted Harry, his eyes welling with tears. His heart felt like someone had wrapped  their hand around it and was squeezing as hard as they could.

Pomfrey pushed him out of the way and Accio-ed things off the top of her head. "Potter, go find Severus and collect as many Blood Replenishing potions as you can. Bring him here and tell him to grab anything to stop wounds bleeding and everything he knows on vampire bites." She barked. The boy would shatter if he was not preoccupied. Harry nodded and ran towards the door, past the approaching Hagrid and McGonagall and into the air.

_Please don't die._

Snape was brewing when Harry Potter tumbled through his door, startling him as much as to drop the vial he was holding. Harry landed on one knee with his hands splayed, tears leaving trails down his cheeks.

"Potter!" Snape gasped, jumping back as the glass vial shattered. "What on _earth_ are you doing- why do you have _wings_?"

"I'll explain later. Professor, it's Draco. He's in t-trouble and we need as many Blood Replenishing potions as you've got!" Harry burbled fearfully. Severus paled and rushed to his store room.

"Whatever for, what's he done this time?"

"What do you know on Vampire bites?"

Severus nearly fell over. " _What_?!" He bellowed. "Don't tell me-?"

"Please hurry, Sir. " Harry pleaded, holding out his hands and snatching the six vials from Snape and leaving him with a book and another three. Severus stripped himself of his robe, leaving him in surprisingly Muggle-like clothing, and began to run for the hospital wing behind the flying boy.

Harry had never seen the man move so fast; it would have been comical if not for the situation. He hurriedly wiped the tears from his face.

Harry flew into the wing and set down beside Draco, grasping the boy's limp hand and refusing to let go. 

Madam Pomfrey tipped three of the vials down Draco's throat by the time Snape arrived, and the tall Potions Master rushed to the young Malfoy's side.

"Right, Potter, what's the story?"

Harry forced himself to stop trembling as he folded his wings up close to him. The tips of the longest midnight feathers brushed againstthe ground.

"It was my Veela blood, Professor, it woke me up when Draco was in danger. He'd gone to the Forbidden Forest, I dunno why, but I think he got lost and there was a vampire there. It did this to him." Harry's face set into a grim snarl.

"Firenze killed the thing and came back here with Draco. That's all I know, apart from him obviously being bitten." Harry clamped his mouth shut and said no more. Severus sank onto the next bed and began flipping through his book.

Madam Pomfrey sealed the wound into a thick mass of flesh and a bandage wrapped itself around Drcao's neck. Another potion slicked down the unconscious Slytherin's throat.

"We won't know how serious it is until he wakes, but he will be in large bouts of pain until he does. I'll prepare some numbing potions for him." Snape said coldly, his face expressionless but his eyes filled with worry.

Harry made no movement to say he had registered what the professor had said, instead staring intently at Draco. His hand drifted upwards to brush his fingers against the gauzy bandage on Draco's neck, and the voice that came from his mouth was not his own.

"He will be okay."

The professor stared at the Gryffindor, but he ignored them all. His molten gold eyes were fixed on Draco and though his mouth was moving, no sound was coming out. Light began to drift from his finger tips and, swirling like dust motes when a door opens, disappeared into Draco's slack-jawed mouth. Harry's hand started to shake after a while and the light faded.

Draco's breath became as easy as a heart beat, and the uncovered skin of his throat pulsed grossly, the yellowish light glowing through his flesh before fading again. The magicked bandage disintegrated and  Madam Pomfrey gave a strangled cry.

The flesh had melded together, the blood gone and the skin no longer torn. It was marred with two pink, faded, jagged scars showing where the vampire had sunk his teeth into.

"B-but- the scar should be much, much bigger than that." Pomfrey mumbled in amazement. Snape kept his mouth shut, but his eyes were wide and watching Potter.

"He will be okay." Harry repeated. "The venom I could reach is weakened to a safe point, and the flesh is otherwise unharmed." The voice began to flicker back into his own, sounding like a dying robot. "He will wake up at seven twenty two pm three days from now, and will be craving meat. It will expand from there and will need any blood every two-three days before his new hormones calm, and then he'll need it once a week. " Harry twitched and, with a dramatic sigh, slid into a heavy sleep before their eyes. The boy crumpled to the floor and his wings dissipated with a crack and a mass of ashen, disintegrating feathers.

Severus, to his own surprise, picked him up and lay him on the bed next to Draco's.

"Looks like we won't be needing them after all. " McGonagall murmured. Pomfrey hustled a replenishing potion to Draco just in case, then attentions turned to Harry.

"I wonder what that was about...?" Hagrid rumbled, startling the three others.

"I've..." Severus started, his voice crisp and uncertain, "I've heard of Veela boys having almost 'alter egos' when they change their shape, because of male Veela being rare."

No one replied aside from McGonagall nodding. "I will get Miss Granger to start researching tomorrow, when they wake for breakfast. "The room became quite, broken only by Draco's eased breathing and Harry's occasional, small snores.   
Hagrid lumbered away, and eventually McGonagall followed. Pomfrey left for her office not long after.

Severus stayed for hours, watching over the two.

* * *

The young girl almost yelped as her bleary eyes focused on the ageing figure standing over my bed. "Professor McGonagall?" She mumbled. The woman nodded and Hermione sat up, flushing pink in her silky blue nightgown. 

She studied the professor's worn, tired face. "Has something happen? Is it Harry?" 

"Miss Granger, I apologize for waking you at such an hour but I need you to help me research some things. Get dressed; I'll explain on the way." Hermione bit her lip to stop a giggle as she realized McGonagall was still in her own night gown, hair disheveled and all up looking ridiculous. However, she refused to be rude in the any of the slightest of manners; the bushy-haired genius quickly averted her gaze and swept her legs out of the bed. McGonagall left to wait by the door. 

 

Rubbing at her eyes, she pulled on an old pair of sweatpants and a random shirt. Knowing she probably looked as awake as Professor McGonagall did, Hermione quickly cast a Glamour charm on herself. The tiredness left her features and her hair sprang into a neat ponytail, something impossibly achievable without precise magic, though my wild curls had straightened and calmed themselves down since first and second year. 

She tugged a pair of faded shoes on and rushed to the professor's side. "So, what's going on?"

McGonagall seemed hesitant, but plowed through an explanation bluntly. "Mr Malfoy went for a midnight stroll it seems, and has been attacked by a vampire. He and Potter both are unconscious in the Hospital Wing."

Hermione's breath caught with worry. "Why is Harry there too?"

McGonagall shook her head as the pair advanced on the library. "That's what we need to find out. Potter burst into my quarters like a madman, telling me Mr Malfoy was in trouble. It's unclear how he knew, but if he hadn't, Draco would have been lost to us." I narrowed my eyes. She wasn't telling the whole story. 

"Something else happened, didn't it?" Hermione pried. The Transfiguration professor shot her a disgruntled glare. 

"Potter changed. When he spoke, it was not in his voice, not to mention the wings and the fact that he had healed Malfoy almost completely, neutralised any reachable venom, stated the exact time Malfoy would wake, and knew somewhat how badly Draco would be effected. "

Hermione hadn't realized that she had stopped to gape at the older woman. Hermione rushed forwards into the haven of books, shooting her an unmissable filthy look as I passed her. 

"Why would you withhold such vital information? Harry has male Veela blood - this could be an immense discovery!" She stated angrily. McGonagall sighed as the girl continued to ramble frantically and rushed to the Magical Creatures section. 

"Because I knew you would act like this." Hermione visibly cringed at the resigned tone and drew a deep breath to collect herself. 

"Sorry, Professor. It's just that new information on this is very rare, rarer  than the males themselves. " She heaved a heavy, dusty book from the second shelf labelled  Volatility : A Veela File and snatched a smaller one with a scantily clad Veela woman on the front. She wrinkled her nose and sat at a table, smirking inwardly as I handed McGonagall the smaller book.   
_This should be fun._  
***  
"Here! Hermione yelped excitedly in the early hours of the morning, earning a glare from the bird-like librarian. McGonagall looked up wearily, cast into shadows as she  shifted into the warming rays of morning sunlight.

" _From what is gathered from the few males studied, Veela have alter egos in their consciences and that control the Veela side of them. It would seem to be more prominent in  half bloods than full bloods. This alter ego of sorts can switch between voices and have immense magical abilities, change it's character to completely while in control and is incredibly possessive and protective over their mate. Alter egos also have a tendency to unintentionally break things and also tend to lose control during  intercourse; however still act similar to a house elf if they hurt their mate physically or mentally._  
 _A male Veela and their mate,  whether human or of Veela blood, have strong mental connections tuned into each other's emotions and feel them as if they were they own. Note- gets weaker over  large distances. "_ Hermione breathed heavily and the professor stared at her, astounded. She tapped her own book. 

"Says here, _no matter how heavily effected the human may by by the vampire venom, they are still dominantly possessive over their lover or mate_. That means they going to both try and dominate the other."

Hermione groaned. "As if they weren't enough of a difficult pair already."

* * *

Seven twenty ... Seven twenty one.... Seven twenty two...

The grey orbs beneath Draco's closed eyelids stopped moving. 

Harry's eyes glued themselves to the purpled veins tracing the pale flesh under his eyebrows, worming beside his hair and snaking up his pearl-white arms.

Madam Pomfrey held her breath; she pulled her hands away from Draco as he were a flame. As Harry gently rested his fingertips on Draco's wrist. a spark startled the two when it burst from his fingertips and ran through the Slytherin's veins. His blood pulsed a faintly glowing yellow before dissipating anticlimactically. 

A groan echoed from the awakening boy's throat, startling Pomfrey. The elderly medi-witch sagged with relief and Harry threw his body forwards to embraced to weakened boy.

"Harry?" Draco murmured blearily.

"I'm here." Harry mumbled back, his fingers digging into Draco's arms. He winced. Harry quickly pulled back and shoved a bedside bucket into Draco's arms as the blond gagged. Draco whimpered unhappily and Madam Pomfrey Vanished the gross bucket.

"Eurgh." Draco's voice dropped, still gravelly from disuse. " I feel weird. Why am I here?"

The witch and Harry shared a look.

_You tell him._

_No, you. I'm insensitive._

_I'm professional!_

_Fine._

"Three days ago, Dray, um," Harry hesitated, "you... Went for a walk in the Forbidden Forest. You were.. Uh, attacked.. By a, well, vampire." Draco's jaw fell open and his hand flew to his throat, running the pads of his fingers over the knotted scars. His hand faltered as he touched and his brow furrowed in confusion.

"I don't remember anything. And shouldn't it be bigger?"

"Well, I'd assume the shock is probably causing memory loss for a little while. Like your brain is protecting you from the trauma again. And that was me; I healed you as best as I could manage. Damn near drained me."

Draco stared at him, his face blank. After a few moments of silence, Draco hunched over and scrabbled at his throat.

"W-what the _hell_?" He choked out, rasping desperately. He heard Harry curse and the blond was shoved flat, something warm sliding down his throat. His breathing eased and an unfamiliar, metallic taste coated his tongue, the smell of blood filling his nose.

"Incoming." Harry's voice was deeper than he'd ever heard it; it didn't even sound like him, with a heavy almost Australian lilt. 

A shriek burst from Draco's chest, sounds, smells, senses flooding his head. He clutched his head as pain pulsed in time to his heartbeat, rushing through his veins. He cried out again and Harry's loud voice broke through. 

" _Shut up, shut up_!" He sobbed, hyperventilating with panic and confusion. A feeling of numbness suddenly washed over him and he stopped struggling, slumping where he was. Harry's hand brushed his cheeks - wiping away tears he hadn't known had spilled. The Gryffindor pried his jaw open and the familiar taste of his least favorite candy invaded his taste buds. He almost spat it out before realizing that he really, _really_ wanted the Blood Lollipop. 

Harry put his forehead on Draco's shoulder to comfort the both of them, but Draco continued to work away at his lollipop with shaking hands.

"I'd hoped." He heard Harry whisper unhappily into his skin. Draco turned his head, wincing as his tooth scraped the candy and poked his lip. _That shouldn't be that sharp?_?

"What do you mean?" Draco demanded softly. His eyes widened when he saw Harry's eyes swimming with tears.

"I'd hoped I could have stopped the venom in time. I didn't." Harry's voice cracked and his Adam's Apple bobbed as he swallowed thickly. Draco watched it with interest before turning his attention back to his distraught lover. 

"Harry, listen to me." Draco grabbed Harry's chin and forced his gaze upwards to his face. Harry's eyes never left his newly developed teeth, stained slightly pink. 

"I'm still _me_. I'm not any different. I couldn't care less if I was like this or not, as long as you tried. That's what matters, you numbnuts." Harry's face crumpled slightly and he buried his face back into Draco's neck. The blond rested his chin on the raven's head, pressing a kiss to the crown.

"You don't blame me?" Harry's voice was muffled.

"Merlin, no! Harry, you really are oblivious." A short burst of laughter startled both of them and Draco pressed his lips together. "This is ridiculous. I'm sure reality will set in later, but I can't actually believe this is really right now. Forgive me."

*******

Draco was right. Reality _did_ set in later. What's more, it's presence was definitely, definitely not welcome in any way, shape or form. Reality had Draco curled up in Harry's lap in the Gryffindor common room, in a back corner away from anyone else. The two were cast into shadows, but that did nothing to smother the blond's cries and whimpers every time he drifted into sleep. It was almost as if he was back to being a half-cat boy. He looked so small, Harry thought, curled up and vulnerable like that. It's not fair; he'd already had it hard enough.

Draco barely manged ten minutes of restless sleep before Lorcan's leer slid into his dreams again. Even though he'd been informed that Firenze had rid the Forest of Lorcan's presence and soul, he still couldn't feel safe with a piece of the filthy creature floating through his veins and causing him all types of woes.

Harry nuzzled him closer, hoping to comfort the boy; it worked. Draco snuggled against him, calmed and fell asleep to the steady rhythm of Harry's deep breaths and the consistent beat of his heart.


	7. Chapter 7

"Draco."

"Draco."

"Draco."

"Ferretface."

Draco groaned and glared at the ravenette groggily. "H-how dare you,"He yawned.

Harry chuckled at the blond's expense. "It's almost noon; you need to actually wake up now."

"But I don't wanna!" Draco whined childishly. Harry rolled his eyes at the ruffled sight. Blonde strands of hair were hanging loosely in front of Draco's eyes, a few knots here and there, and there were red lines clearly declaring where the Slytherin had rested his head against the crumpled pillowcase of Harry's dorm four-post bed.

Draco curled his arms around his own waist, brow furrowing with concern. Harry frowned. "It's almost Christmas, Haz."

"I know?"

"I.... I.." Draco hiccuped and blinked furiously. Harry, utterly baffled, put his arms around the blond to comfort him until he calmed.

"Harry, these holidays.... These holidays I'm supposed to take the mark." He choked out, flinching away from Harry to protect himself from Harry's expected bad response.

He got nothing of the sort.

"Oh, Bright Eyes..." Harry murmured, his voice thick as he pulled Draco closer and the said male choked on a cry, a strangled whimper sliding from his throat instead.

"Draco, look at me," Harry said softly. The blond buried his face in the ravenette's shoulder. "Alright, fine. Listen to me then. You'll never truly be one of them, whether you have a stupid tattoo or not. You don't have the heart or the guts. Call it cowardly, I'll stick to smart." Harry started to lecture in a gentle voice. Draco's shoulders quaked, but he didn't trust himself to speak and didn't make a sound.

***

Harry jerked his head up, fighting to stay awake as he dripped ink on the edge of his Transfiguration essay. Hermione gave him a sad look from her seat on an armchair, closing her book and walking over.

"Harry, you need to get some rest, you look half-dead. Leave that; do it in the morning." She said, tucking a curl behind her ear.

"I'm just... So worried about it, 'Mione." He rubbed at his eyes. Hermione knew what he was talking about; she'd heard his and Draco's conversation when she went to tell them they were going to be late for breakfast.

"I know, Harry.." She trailed off, rubbing his back gently with a comforting hand.  She was constantly unsure of how to help, how to ease his mind and put Draco's whirlwind emotions to rest. The closer the holidays got, the more highly-strung he became, and she often found him sneaking into the Gryffindor tower of a night to be comforted by Harry's mere presence. It hurt her heart, seeing the two in such a mess.

"Listen, Harry, exhausting yourself isn't going to help anyone or change anything right now. Go upstairs and get yourself a good night's rest for once; I think I may have an idea. "Harry's dulled green eyes flickered to hers and he nodded, slowly pushing himself upright and wandering away.

"Send Ron down, could you please?" The only response she response she got from the weighed-down ravennette was a sleepy nod.

Ron appeared a few moments later, looking groggy in just his pajama slacks. Hermione raised her eyes to his, gesturing for him to come closer as she settled into the couch. Ron sat down beside her, running a hand through his hair. "What's going on?"

"It's about Draco and Harry." She sighed. Light dawned in Ron's eyes and he nodded, waiting for her to continue. She took a deep breath.

"I know it's a big ask. Is- is there any chance of Draco staying at The Burrow over the holidays?" She murmured, looking guilty as she tucked the same brunette curl behind her ear again. Ron blinked in surprise, his mouth falling open slightly until she used one finger beneath his chin to close it again. His ears turned red.

"I don't know how well they'll take it, the Malfoys were always filthy to'us." He stated, chewing the inside of his cheek.

"But Harry's been talking to you all about Draco, and he's changed so much, whether his family name is Malfoy or not. It's not like we'd be inviting Lucius?" She pointed out quietly, raising an eyebrow slightly. Ron nodded slowly, scratching his wrist.

"I'm sure Mum'll be right with it, it's more Dad and maybe Ginny that'll be a bit... Y'know."

"Ginny's just upset that Draco's got Harry and she doesn't. " Hermione giggled tiredly. "But she'll get over that. Arthur might take a little while to warm up to him, but he should be okay in the end. I hope, anyhow." She replied in a more serious tone.

"Hang on, why's he got to come anyway?" Ron furrowed his eyebrows together, pursing his lips in confusion. Hermione resisted the urge to chew her lip. It really wasn't her job to tell.

"Whatever happens, he _cannot_ go to Malfoy Manor this Christmas. Harry doesn't know about it. If Molly and Arthur are okay with this, then I'll tell him and he'll give you the full story. It's not my business, I'm sorry Ron." She elaborated vaguely in a quite voice, knowing how upset he could get when he was left out of things. However, surprisingly, he merely nodded his head in understanding and put a hand on her knee, rubbing his thumb in circles.

"That's alright. I'll owl them in the morning, but right now," he eased the book she was clutching to her lap out of her grasp," you go get some sleep. It's late." When she looked up at him, eyes wide and startled like a deer caught in headlights, he smiled and pulled himself off the lounge and helped her up.

"Good night, Ron." She pressed a small kiss to his lips, her hand lingering in his for a moment before she flickered a small smile and turned for the girl's dormitories.

"Night, 'Mione."

* * *

 

 

Harry slowly shook himself to a more awakened state. The first thing that came to him was the warmth beneath his left ear, and as he shifted, he recognized the soft rustle of pillow feathers. Next came the thin, cool sheet blanketing his body and the body heat beside him, to which he would have curled into, had he not been concentrating on the voice gently calling his name. An unfamiliar yet homely smell awakened his heightened senses and he squinted his sleep-induced eyelids, thankful for the soft light as he focused on Hermione's face.

"Morning, Harry." The young woman smiled sheepishly at him, voice quiet so as to not wake the blond sleeping peacefully beside him. He brought a hand up to his eyes and rubbed at his eyelids, crooking his arm and pushing himself upright.

"Morning 'Mione." He yawned and did not question her presence in the boy's dormitories -- the  _empty_  boy's dormitories, apparently -- as she handed him a steaming cup of what smelled like Russian Caravan tea. He breathed in deeply and gave her a crookedly thankful smile in return.

"I need to talk to you, but I can't let Draco hear just yet. It's about the Christmas holidays... I overheard your conversation. I know how to help. " Harry stared up at her incredulously, though he supposed he shouldn't be so surprised. It was Hermione, after all.

She sipped delicately at her own mug and passed him two letters, one coated in the distinctive scrawl of Ron's hand and another less familiar, but nevertheless, he recognized it as Molly Weasley's handwriting. His brow furrowed and he frowned in confusion. "Read Ron's first."

He put one letter down on his lap with a quiet rustle of parchment and bedsheets before straightening out the other, sliding his glasses on and squinting through the messy handwriting.

_Dear Mum,_  
 _How's you and Dad doing? I haven't written for a while, sorry. Perce still caught up in ass-kissing the Ministry?_ Harry had to chuckle at the scribbled-out line.   
 _I have a huge favour to ask. It's about Harry and Malfoy, but don't tell them because they don't know about it yet. Hermione says it's not her business to say but it's really important, I think._  
 _Percy no longer 'boards with us during the holidays', does he? That means there's a spare room. Instead of Harry staying in my room, is there any chance of he and Draco staying in Percy's old room? Apparently he can't go home these holidays._  
 _You've heard from Harry, the twins, Mione and I about how much he's changed and stuff so at least think about it?_  
 _I know Ginny and Dad might take a bit to warm up but please think about it._  
 _Ron_

Harry stared at the parchment for a little while, reading and rereading some lines as if he thought it wasn't true. He dared not glance at Hermione, instead swallowing thickly and turning his gaze to the second piece of paper, Molly's letter.

_Dear Ron_   
_I'd be delighted! I won't pry, but I do expect an explanation at some point. Arthur already agreed; after all, the other Malfoy's will not be accompanying him, I'll assume. I'll have the room ready, of course, seeing as it is only five weeks or so away. Ginevra will just have to put up with it, won't she? I've told her before that she has to let go of her petty pining over the poor boy._   
_Fred and George aren't causing too much trouble, are they? Say hello to Hermione and the boys for me. Is she coming to stay this break as well? I do hope so, she's such a delight._   
_I won't say a word to them or Ginny about it, don't worry. Have fun at Hogsmeade this weekend, Ronald, and stay warm!_   
_Love, your Mother._

Harry's breath shuddered and Hermione didn't speak as he took his glasses off again and rubbed at his eyes, taking a deep breath and exhaling softly, slowly. He glanced up at the soft-eyed girl.

"Thank you, Mione." He managed. She really did work wonders. He glanced down at his watch and startled, teeth sinking into his bottom lip. Hermione smiled and sipped her tea again.

"Independent study for the first two periods today, remember, Harry? Don't panic." She chuckled and sipped her tea again. Harry's eyes flickered down to the blond figure beside him as he shifted, a low, quiet groan sounding as his gunmetal eyes opened.

"Morning, Harry." Draco murmured sleepily, his usually smooth voice rough and husky with sleep. Harry felt his lips tug upwards into a smile.

"Morning, Draco." He stifled a chuckle as the Slytherin tried to speak again, and was cut off by a yawn before he reattempted to talk with a disgruntled expression.

"Oh, morning, Mione." He sat up, stealing Harry's cup gently and sipping from it before winking and giving it back. "Didn't know you were here-- what's that?" His voice cleared a little as he spotted the letters, and Harry glanced at Hermione and gestured for her to explain.

"Ah." She sat on the foot of their bed, careful of their legs. "Well, you see, Draco... I overheard you and Harry's conversation the other day." She started cautiously. "I haven't told anyone, I promise. I just, I had an idea... You'll find the rest out if you read the letters." She gestured uncomfortably at the parchments.

Harry passed them to the blond wordlessly, watching in silence as his eyes skipped over the scrawled writing. He reached the bottom of Ron's when his eyes started to water, but only a single droplet escaped down his cheek when he put Molly's down. Harry quickly swiped it away with his thumb.

"I -- you --" He stammered pointlessly for a moment, floundering. "You would do this? For me?" Draco sounded shocked beyond belief, staring up at Hermione with wide, disbelieving eyes. She nodded. It took a few moments for him to register and he slowly lowered the letters.

"I need to tell Mother.." He breathed. "She will know how to get me there without Father knowing. "He started ti mutter under his breath before he reached over Harry with a small cough and shoved a crimson-coloured lollipop in his mouth. Harry wrapped an arm around his waist for comfort.

"I can... Can I borrow the Gryffindor fireplace? When no one is awake at some point? I can firecall Mother and see what she thinks... Merlin, Hermione -- I could kiss you!" A wide grin exploded across his mouth as he bit down on the lolly stick, eyes brimming with tears. Harry shook his head, breathless.

"This is far too emotional this soon after waking up." Draco choked on a laugh at his words and buried his face in Harry's shoulder.

"Thank you," he whispered, "thank you, thank you, thank you."

 


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> unedited ill fix it later its v late

A soft breathy sigh passed slack, soft lips, but it didn't belong to him. A clenched jaw, a stomach full of impatience and nervousness. Those were his own.

He didn't quite know why people talked about emotions being in their heart; everything he felt for Harry was in his stomach. The way it twisted with anticipation when the raven got too close, the empty feeling it was consumed by when the two where no longer in each other's company. The Gryffindor common room was empty, still, silent exempt the cracking fire, which emitted a constant hum occasionally broken by a pop and the sound of collapsing ashes. A blond Slytherin crouched expectantly beside the burning wood, and a dark-haired Gryffindor slept soundly on the nearest couch.

The gentle warmth of the open flame beside him was dampened by Draco's tire, his barely conscious state hardly aware of its surroundings. He moved his eyes from the blank ceiling to the still body.

The orange firelight threw Harry's face into sharp distinction, only his head and shoulders free of the thin quilt he'd burrowed under on the softer fabric of the couch.

And, the Malfoy heir decided, he was beautiful.

Harry Potter was a masterpiece. An unfinished one, perhaps, but a work of art all the while. It did not matter to Draco if Harry were clean or dirty, proud or ashamed, human or beast. Sometimes art was not meant to be attractive to the eye - pretty, even; it was meant to make you really  _feel_  something.

Something... Something more primal, more instinctual, more  _magnificent_  than the human eye could ever perceive. It could not be materialized, only realized.

A bundle of bare emotion, brash words, speaking -- acting -- without thinking, putting somebody else first and foremost, though cunning when it was clear. Cautious hands on Draco's pale skin, but needy and strong and delicious all simultaneously. All of it, all of Harry, crammed tightly beneath tanned skin and bunched muscles, so many thoughts and unspoken words hidden behind such magnificently green eyes and a gentle, pink mouth.

A strong jaw, broad shoulders, even if it seemed he needed to be protected like a delicacy. Draco loved him. Oh, he loved Harry so dearly. Patience, balance, kindness, all squeezed into a mortal body that seemed too small to fit it all.

Harry shifted under the blond's intense gaze, and his gunmetal eyes reluctantly pulled themselves away at the soft whisper of his name.

"Mother." His pale petal lips slowly curved into a fond smile at the familiar face shifting in the embers of the common room fireplace. Narcissa smiled sweetly back.

"Long time no see, my dear." She replied, her voice quiet as her pretty eyes flickered to the sleeping boy on the couch. "I see Harry had planned to stay up with you."

"It seems he failed miserably." Draco gave a soft chuckle, tainted with affection for the two of them as he glanced at the raven-haired Veela. His eyes twinkled, Narcissa noted, whenever the Potter boy was in focus for Draco.

"Indeed." She agreed with a small giggle, then their gazes both shifted to Harry.

Two sleep-dulled green eyes opened, unfocused and confused. " ... Draco?" He murmured, shifting to sit up on one elbow and rubbing his face blearily with his other hand.

"Morning, Harry." Draco chuckled quietly, watching as Harry picked his glasses off the ground and fumbled to put them on. Draco reached over with a pale hand and fixed the skewed frames.

"Morning -- Oh. Good morning, Narcissa." He amended quickly, sitting up but almost falling off the couch as he rushed to fix up his appearance. Narcissa laughed behind her hand.

"Hello, Mr Potter. Though, I must admit, no morning hour such as this will ever be  _good_." She managed. Harry smiled sheepishly. Grasping the blanket and pulling it off his legs, the Gryffindor threw it haphazardly on the end of the couch before sliding onto his knees on the floor beside Draco. He and Narcissa had no qualms - they never had - and he hoped it stayed that way.

Draco gave him a small smirk before they both turned to face the blonde woman, knees touching and fingers twined together for the comfort of them both.

"Are you packed and ready, Draco?" She asked gently. Her eyes wavered between the dying flames. Draco swallowed thickly and his breath quaked, causing Harry to squeeze his hand tightly.

"I am...  _packed_ , but I am miles from ready." He replied, just as quietly. Narcissa's expression crumpled a little.

"I don't want them in danger, Mum." He whispered, his face falling drastically. Harry leaned his forehead on Draco's shoulder, who took a deep breath to compose himself. Narcissa clicked her tongue in sympathy.

"I know you don't, sweetheart. But you know how hard I have worked on the protection of that house, how many charms and long-lasting shields I have put over it. Molly has, as well. She is just as concerned for you as we are."

Draco felt his heart wilt a little at the pet names he so rarely heard, as such affection and weakness seemed like blasphemy against his father -- but only Lucius. Narcissa's face was tired, worn; her greying hair drawn back in the tight updo she so often wore, which was a telltale sign she had not yet gone to bed. The dark shadows under her eyes that were  noticeable even in the light of fire were another worrying factor or her exhaustion, and of course Draco felt guilt twisting and writhing in his gut.

"I'm sorry. I never meant to make you worry so much." One side of his mouth quirked into a half-hearted smile before falling just as swiftly. "The term is almost over -- with just one week to go." He remembered. Narcissa lifted her gaze, seeming to realize something.

"Draco, you must not contact me." She said curtly, her face twisted in pain. Draco's eyes widened a fraction. "It seems harsh, but that limits the chance of being given away." It slowly dawned on Draco that she was speaking a cold truth with a warm voice, and his eyes glistened.

"Yes, Mother."

***  
Harry grunted slightly as he hefted his tightly-packed trunk off the floor, following behind Draco quickly as the blonde made his way towards the maroon steam train. As he passed Hagrid, the mountainous man and the raven-haired male exchanged enormous grins. Draco flittered a smile in Hagrid's direction as well, the two still being on cautious terms despite Harry's attempts for them to get along. Fang whined.

"C'mon, Harry! Move along!" Ron shouted from behind him, his voice easily heard over the bustle of hundreds of students clambering onto the train with excited yells and laughter of their own. Harry grinned at the ginget as well.

"Keep your hair on, Ron." He laughed as he followed Draco onto the Hogwarts Express, offering a sweet smile as the blond helped him up. Ron gave a dramatic huff and followed suit with Hermione, the four of them rushing to find an empty compartment.

Luckily enough, they found two neighboring smaller compartments; looking like they'd originally been one, but had been split at some point in time. Hermione and Ron took one while Harry and Draco sidled into the other.

Harry stuffed his trunk in the rafter compartments and offered a hand to Draco, who already seemed jittery and inevitably nervous as he handed Harry his bag so the Gryffindor could place it with his own.

They slid the roller door shut and the both of them instantly collapsed onto the bench seat, giving twin sighs of tire as they looked at each other and smiled a little. Neither of them had slept well the night before, both twisting restlessly and often waking in the dead hours of the night. The sound from the rest of the train left them in silence, Harry's head leaning on the window and Draco slouching against him.

Eventually he felt his eyes starting to slip closed, so he shifted - startling Harry in the process - to lay his head in the Veela's lap and close his eyes, his long legs hanging over the edge of the seat as he shimmied to get comfortable. After a moment of stillness Harry's hand began to card slowly and methodically through the soft, blond hair, the soothing movement rocking him to sleep. It did not take long for Harry to do the same, the Scottish landscape rushing past them through the clear windows of the fast-moving train, the wordless silence only broken by a murmur of Harry's voice.

"We'll be alright, love."

* * *

 

"Leave off, Potter." The blond teased, halfheartedly tugging his wrist away from Harry's nervous grip. "I'm the one who should be worrying so much here, not you. The train hasn't even stopped yet."

"I can't help it." Harry grumbled. His stomach tightened with anticipation and he clutched his bag and Draco's thin wrist tighter as the train slowed, the engine rumbling louder and the wheels screeching as they pulled into the station, steam billowing across the windows. With the thick grey substance blocking his view of he platform his throat clogged, hands jittery and knees a little weak.

"Harry." Draco murmured, and the tone of voice made the raven-haired boy half turn towards him, only to be greeting by a swift kiss to the corner of his mouth. "It'll all be fine, okay?" When Harry didn't answer, he pressed forward with a hand on the back of Harry's neck. " _Okay_?"

Harry eventually nodded, eyes downcast like a child in trouble before they lightened a little at the small kiss Draco left on his forehead, just next to his scar.

The doors opened.

Draco hissed in surprise and Harry leaped forwards, the two racing off the train ahead of the crowds and trough the thick, warm steam with their bags in tow. A flash of silvery-blond hair was all he saw of his mother, and Harry had to tug on his hand to get him to keep moving. "C'mon Draco, please!" The panic in Harry's voice made his knees unlock and he pushed forward again, to where a single red-headed man stood with an outstretched hand and a Portkey in the other.

Draco went to reach for it before he tugged his hand away. "Wait, wait, Father isn't here yet!" He realized, ignoring Harry's strangled, muffled huff of anguish as he dropped his bag and pulled away. Narcissa's shocked face came into view and he ignored the strange looks he got from the few people already gathered at the station as he powered towards her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders when he reached her and stuffing his face into her shoulder.

"I'll see you soon, Mum." He whispered, ignoring the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.

"Stay safe, won't you?" Narcissa murmured, her hands curling into fists on Draco's previously unwrinkled shirt. It took a moment before they each pulled away, Narcissa's worried expression matching Draco's impeccably. She pushed at his shoulders, turning him around. "Go. Go!"

Draco didn't ask for any other encouragement, biting his bottom lip as he raced back towards Harry. A brief thought entered his mind as his lithe fingers wrapped around his bag and his other hand reached for the Portkey --  _there's no backing out now._

The thought disappeared with the unfamiliar tug behind his navel, wrinkling his expression and closing his eyes as imagery blurred around him; it came to an abrupt stop when it suddenly stopped moving and he fell to the ground, nearly crushing Harry in the process. He blinked a few times to gather his wits about it.

"Ah, sorry Harry." He quickly amended, rushing to get out of the half-crouch, half-laying position as he scrambled for his bag and stood up, looking nervous and jittery. Harry shook his head and smiled weakly as the lanky blond held out a shaking hand to help him of the ground, but once they were both back on their feet neither of them were willing to let go. Arthur Weasley, who had landed on his feet, silently handed them their trunks.

"Everybody alright?" The redhead father asked as he glanced at the two boy's shaken expression; then his eyes focused on Draco.

Grey eyes rimmed with a swollen red, the usually perfect blond hair a ruffled mess - he truly looked a sight. Harry followed Arthur's gaze and his own expression softened, lithe fingers squeezing around a pale hand to offer what little comfort he could provide. "... Everybody's alright."

The Burrow loomed in front of them, the trees surrounding it coated in fiery hues of red and orange, dying autumn leaves littering the fading green grass and shifting loudly with the slightest of wind. Draco shivered. As the rest of the Weasleys' had not been in as much of a rush to depart, they would arrive much later, so Arthur took it upon his awkward self to lead the anxious students inside.

Draco clutched at Harry's hand as hard as he gripped the bag handle, seeking firm reassurance he knew he would not receive until he and Harry were alone. Arthur hovered in the kitchen.

"Tea?" He asked hesitantly, worrying his bottom lip in a way so very much like him. Harry felt his mate's trembling begin, what with the Slytherin pressed so insistently into his side, and ended up answering for the both of them.

"Two, please. Milk and a sugar for both, thank you." His voice was quieter than he'd been expecting - being so closely tied was twining his and his mate's emotions together. It could be useful one day, but Harry needed to keep himself together to help Draco. Arthur nodded and disappeared in the kitchen quietly.

Draco's eyes were half shut as the ravenette lead him to the worn couch and gently took his trunk, leaving all of them by the stairs. Harry was thrown off; Draco was so ridiculously out of character than what he'd seen over the five years he'd developed a thin immunity to. Leaving Draco curled up awkwardly on the couch, his long legs folded underneath him like a deer faun and hands twisting together, fingers rubbing over knuckles and between each other and never releasing the white-knuckle grip on himself. Harry sighed inwardly and turned to Arthur, thanking him for the two mugs of tea he was handed before he responded weakly to the soft smile he was given.

Turning back to Draco, he made his way over carefully and passed him the mug, whose purpose, it seemed, would be more just something to hold on rather than the tea itself. Draco didn't speak when Harry sat close beside him, instead shifting so much closer that he was almost on the tanned male's lap. Harry nuzzled into his hair and let out a deep breath, eyes closing and the lump in hi throat growing thick. He knew that in this state neither Draco nor himself would be able to help anybody at all, let along each other, so he let him be and wrapped his hands around the heated ceramic cup. Neither of them moved, or spoke, or thought; dwelling on empty minds and half-full cups when the rare times they moved were only to absentmindedly sip at the tea they held. After a while Harry opened his eyes and noticed that Draco's empty mug was hanging barely on the end of his fingers, so he reached forward slowly and gently pulled it from his grasp, setting it down and frowning a little when Draco whined in his sleep. He stopped when Harry stopped moving and the Gryffindor's lips quirked into a tiny smile, slowly shifting into a more comfortable position after he knew the mugs wouldn't be knocked over. Draco slipped and Harry moved the unconscious boy onto his lap, half-asleep himself. Draco curled into him as much as he could on the small couch, soft huffs leaving his partly open mouth every now and then. Harry frowned at the worry lines burrowing into the other's forehead and his hand came up to card through the soft blond hair. The lines eased a little and Harry continued, waiting until his expression became peaceful and relaxed and only then did he let himself slip off the edge of consciousness as well. Neither of them had got much sleep the night before and the rest on the train was fitful and restless, so the sleep was welcomed with open arms.  

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya!  
> ( The first ten or so chapters aren't as long as I'd hoped, but I'm not particularly consistent in chapter length, whoops love me)  
> So if any of you are confused as to what the Anima potion is = I made it up so I'll explain it.
> 
> The Anima Potion is a potion that allows you to become an Animagus of sorts for three hours or less, depending on how strong the potion is. Instead of turning you into your actual Animagus, it will turn you into something different so you aren't recognised- hence why Draco turned into a cat and not a ferret. Critiques and comments are much appreciated! I will update consistently at least every Staurday and if you're lucky, you may get a double update every now and then.


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